TPMJ: Trials of a Pokémon Trainer
by AshleyH30
Summary: Depressed from his humiliating defeat at the Indigo League, Ash and his friends decide to take a vacation in the Orange Islands. But when a new journey begins, one where the fate of the world hangs in the balance, Ash will have to learn what it really means to be a Pokémon Trainer or lose everything he loves. M for Dark Themes Set in the Past. Orange Islands Arc
1. Chapter 1 - Adverse Celebration

**Hey, everyone, this is the first Chapter of the Orange Islands Arc. If you're new to my stories, welcome, I suggest you read The Pokémon Master's Journey: The Journey Begins before reading this!**

 **There are two stories in this; one from the past and one from the present, and they are both interconnected which will climax in the movie! I'm doing things differently this time. From now on all the movies will be written into these Arcs, instead of being separate. The first one was separate because Mewtwo had his own story in that, but I feel it will be easier to write them in the Arcs and build them up within the story.**

 **This Arc will mostly focus on Ash and Misty learning about the difficulties of being a trainer and overcoming them to make themselves stronger.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.**

* * *

Chapter 1 – Adverse Celebration

The young boy sat quietly against a tree just outside the entrance to Mount Moon. With his eyes closed he was completely shut off from the rest of the world, lost deep in his own thoughts. Next to him, a young green Pokémon with a tiny bulb on its back rested sleepily as its trainer continued his meditation.

It had become the norm between Pokémon and trainer, as they would wake up shortly after sunrise and then immediately meditate. The young Pokémon didn't understand it though; it seemed quite strange to him.

As the wind picked up, the small Pokémon felt that something was clearly wrong. Suddenly, the boy and his Pokémon were both drawn from their respective worlds when they heard an earth-shattering scream.

Opening his eyes, the boy looked at his young Pokémon, simply nodding silently that they should go and investigate. Standing up, the boy placed his red cap on top of his black hair, allowing his red eyes to dart back and forth as tried to figure out which direction the scream had come from.

His questioning, however silent, were answered when an almighty roar echoed throughout the forest. Grabbing his bag, he raced towards the disturbance, coming to a stop when he found a young girl with red hair trying to fend off a raging Gyarados with a weak starfish-like Pokémon.

Without even being told, Bulbasaur raced into action, wrapping his vines around the enraged Pokémon to hold it still. In another flash, a tiny yellow Pokémon with a lightning bolt shaped tail popped free from its Poké Ball and launched a powerful Thunderbolt that severely injured the Gyarados.

Without a word, the young boy launched one of his empty Poké Balls at the water-type, encompassing the Pokémon in red light as it was captured. Both trainers and Pokémon watched with bated breath as the Poké Ball vigorously vibrated as the Pokémon tried to break free.

With a sigh of relief, the young boy picked up the Poké Ball when it signalled its capture, only to be confronted by the young girl. "Wah! Thank… Thank you." It was the first time the young boy got a look at the girl, and he guessed she was around his age; ten.

Not one for many words, the young boy smiled at the girl, looking straight into her viridian eyes. "Your welcome."

"I don't know what happened," the girl continued. "Gyarados was fine before we passed through Mount Moon, but when we made it to the other side he went berserk, destroying his Poké Ball in the process."

The boy looked at her for a second, reading her facial features, deciding she was telling the truth. Quietly, he handed the Poké Ball to her. "Here, it's your Pokémon."

"Thanks…" the girl paused, accepting the Ball.

"Red," the boy replied, understanding her unspoken question.

"Thanks, Red, I really appreciate it." The girl smiled.

"You're welcome," Red repeated. He suddenly glanced back towards the Mount Moon, his mind racing a mile a minute. "You said this happened after you went through Mount Moon, right?" The girl nodded. "Then I guess we should find out what's going on in there so this doesn't happen to anyone else."

"Sure!" the girl said a little too quickly, eager to tag along.

"Well then, lets head off!" He began to head towards the entrance, but stopped when he realised one important detail. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, where are my manners!" The girl covered her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm Misty. Misty Williams."

* * *

Red glanced at the rusty, framed, photograph. He remembered the day it was taken, visualising the hall he was in twenty-three years ago. Currently, he was searching for something in the attic of his house in Pallet Town, rummaging through old items he'd long since forgotten he had.

"What are you doing?" Delia questioned, climbing up the small pull-down ladder.

"Looking for one of my old battle tapes," Red explained. "Ash is feeling pretty down at the moment, and I wanted to show him something important."

"All your old recordings are over there." Delia pointed to another part of the attic. "This is just stuff you collected during your journey."

"Thanks." Red sighed, lowering the framed photograph.

Just before it disappeared back into the box, Delia saw who was in the photo, and quickly glanced at her husband. "You know, I never asked, but when was that taken."

Red followed her pointed finger towards the photo, a smile forming on his face. "After Misty and I stopped Team Rocket in Mount Moon," he explained, showing her the photo. "She took me to this mansion that turned out to be her father's and we trained for a while, before I eventually defeated her and won the cascade badge."

"Yeah, but why was she wearing a beautiful gown, like that?" Misty was in a flowing full length, blue gown that accentuated her curves, while Red was in a flimsy suit that was clearly too big for him.

Red became embarrassed, realising he'd never told his wife about that day. "You know how she had a crush on me, right?"

Delia nodded; how could she forget? She remembered all the times Misty became jealous because of the attention Red gave her. "She didn't like me in the beginning."

"Yeah, well, she invited me to this massive gathering her father was holding, and we had to dress up. I think she was trying to impress me, but her father never liked me, so I only stayed there for a few days. We trained, and I learnt a lot before moving on."

"About how to become the little charmer you were?" Delia joked.

Red slyly smirked. "That, and that I needed to become stronger if I was ever to encounter Team Rocket again. Misty and I barely made it out of that mountain alive."

"Well…" Delia cut the conversation short with a yawn. "Don't be too long up here, we have a busy day tomorrow with the party."

"I won't be," Red assured, placing the photo down before heading towards the other end of the attic. "Once I find what I'm looking for I'll be right down."

* * *

Ash sighed as he sat down on one of the many couches inside the main room of Professor Oak's laboratory. The party was in full swing outside, with dozens of people from Pallet Town all there to celebrate the achievements of Gary, Leaf, and himself in the Indigo League.

While it had been a week since the last match of the Indigo League, with Leaf losing to the eventual winner, Rachel, in the round after she defeated him, Ash still couldn't bring himself to train.

He'd put on a smile immediately after his lose, but on the inside, he was drowning. Every day he questioned himself, questioned his tactics, questioned his own ability to make the right decisions. He couldn't for the life of him remember why he'd chosen Squirtle and Rhydon when he knew they both had problems he was still to take care of.

In the end he put it down to his own incompetence; his inability to see and address the problems he faced, some of which he'd created. No, he didn't want to celebrate. Celebration meant praise, and he didn't think he deserved it.

Lost in his own little world, he failed to notice the sole television screen flicker to life, at least until he heard the first scream. "Come on, Arcanine! Do as your told!"

Glancing at the screen, Ash was flooded with the image of Arcanine battling a powerful Dewgong. As the screen changed, it suddenly showed the image of a boy very similar to Ash, only he had a red jacket on instead of his blue one.

"You don't train your Pokémon very well, do you?" His opponent taunted. The camera, which had been focused on the boy, quickly travelled across the battlefield to his opponent; a teenage girl. "Did you really think you could challenge the Elite Four with a Pokémon like that?"

"I know what I'm doing!" the boy spat back. But alas, the Pokémon never listened to him the entire battle, and before long, the match was over.

"Come back when you've trained your Pokémon," the girl finished. "Then maybe you'll be able to beat me, Lorelei, Ice-type Master of the Kanto Elite Four." The tape stopped.

"Notice anything familiar?" Red asked, appearing next to the television.

"That was you?" Red nodded. "But how? I thought…"

"You thought of the illusion that is me," Red explained. "You thought of an image of a Pokémon Master that was set up by the League. Everyone thinks I just did it in a single go because I became League Champion when I was eleven. But the truth is it took me six months after this battle to eventually defeat the Elite Four, and then defeat the Champion, who was Gary's father; Blue."

There was a long pause as both father and son eyed each other down, until eventually the question on the tip Ash's tongue spilled from his mouth. "So, how did you go from there to here?" He emphasised by directing his hands from the television to Red.

"With lots of training," Red explained. "Like you, I questioned myself after that loss. I didn't train with my Pokémon for a while, but I eventually got back into it and we learned from our mistakes. I challenged a few more times before winning just before my twelfth birthday."

The next question wasn't a surprise for Red as he had been expecting it. "What should I do?"

"Take a break." It wasn't the answer Ash expected, or even hoped for. "Trying to train your Pokémon like this isn't going to help. Instead, refresh your mind, and remember why you decided to become a trainer in the first place."

"What's going on in here?" Misty asked, clutching Togepi as she entered the room with Brock. "The party's in full swing outside and you two are in here?"

"We're discussing what Ash should do next," Red explained.

"And?"

"And he's saying I should take a break," Ash added.

"That's not a bad idea," Brock agreed. "Even when I was a Gym Leader I needed time off. Every now and then I would close the Gym for a couple of weeks."

"Yeah, but where should we go?" Ash quipped. "I'm not going to sit here for the next few weeks."

"Head to the Orange Islands," Red stated. "It's where I used to go to have a break."

"Yeah? And with what money?"

Red stared at his son in disbelief; didn't he know how much money he won during the League? "Ash, haven't you even checked your Trainer Bank Account?"

"Trainer Bank Account?"

Red's slouched, shaking his head. "How'd you survive this long?"

"He had good friends," Brock stated. "Plus, we bought stuff from the pocket money we all received."

"Well, you're in luck." Red smiled, standing at his full height. "You're not going to need to live off pocket money any longer."

"How so?" Ash asked.

"Give me you Pokédex," Red cryptically replied, placing his hand out. Reluctantly, Ash placed his Pokédex in his father's hands. They watched for several seconds as Red fiddled with it.

"Trainer Bank Account; Ash Ketchum." The Pokédex sprang to life. "Current Balance, two hundred and fifty-seven thousand dollars."

"WHAT!" the three kids exclaimed. "How?" Was quickly added after.

"Because you finished in the final thirty-two trainers, your total prize money for the Indigo League was two hundred and forty thousand," Red explained. "Plus, the money you won for defeating the League Gyms added up to the final amount."

"I never knew that!" Ash exclaimed, snatching the Pokédex. "Does that mean I could spend all that money if I wanted to?"

"No," Red rejected. "Until you reach the age of sixteen, you can only access up to ten percent of your total bank balance per year, with the minimum being ten thousand."

"You know what that means, Ash?" Misty asked, walking towards them. Inwardly, Ash had an idea for what Misty meant, but outwardly he decided to let her explain. "We're going on a holiday!"

* * *

Hannah considered herself many things; courageous, intelligent, a well-respected leader, but a fool wasn't one of them. Leaning back in her chair, she waited for her next meeting to commence.

In her office there was very little to identify her personal life. No photos of family or friends, no heirlooms that weren't considered sacred to her organisation. No one knew who she was away from these walls, and that's how she liked it.

When the knock finally came from the door, she sat straight up, adjusting her blonde hair. "Come in."

"Sorry I'm late, Master," the first words came out of the mans mouth before he even entered the room. "I had some… unforeseen circumstances arise."

"No need to apologise, Joshua," Hannah replied, gesturing to the seat in front of her desk. "You're one of my most loyal officers, I know you weren't late because of tardiness or anything unbecoming of a man of your stature."

"Yes, well, I always feel the need to apologise in circumstances like this," Joshua explained, taking the seat. He removed the bag from around his shoulders and placed it on the ground.

"Nether the less." Hannah raised her hand to stop him. "I'm much more interested in the information you have for me."

"Yes." He nodded, grabbing a small file out of his bag. "This is the current report."

He slid the small file across the table. Grabbing it, Hannah opened it for a brief second before placing it back down on the table. "Give me an overview, I can read it in more detail later."

"There is still no information on the whereabouts of Ethan Danial Waterflower," he stated. "However, in recent months we believe that the followers of the Dark Domain may have taken him to Johto when they tried to kidnap you and your husband."

"Is that all?"

"It's at least something," he explained. "We haven't had any information in years, and we only received this because we managed to capture that man six months ago."

"It's still nothing, Joshua," Hannah countered. "My husband hasn't been seen in over six years, and you tell me that we only now know that they took him to the Johto region after they attacked us?"

"Hannah, may I speak freely?" Joshua asked.

"Go ahead." Hannah nodded.

"As you say, it's been six years, how long do you plan on using Legion resources to look for your husband?" he paused, choosing his next words wisely. "You know what the Dark Domain does to aura users like us. He's probably already dead."

"Until I see a body," Hannah explained. "Until I _know_ he's dead, I will continue to search."

"Very well." Joshua nodded. "I will order the investigator to continue the search." He reached into his bag again, pulling out a different file. "This is the latest report on your family."

Joshua didn't need to push the file across the desk this time as Hannah leaned over and grabbed it. "How is my daughter, and what is she up to?"

Joshua knew she was only talking about one of her children, so he started there. "Misty's currently booked tickets to the Orange Islands with Red's son, Ash Ketchum, and the Pewter City Gym Leader Brock Slate. As for your other daughters, they're currently at the Indigo Plateau organising funds to rebuild the Gym."

Hannah leaned back in her chair, touching her fingers together as mused over the new information. "Good. Good. I need her with him if everything is to go according to plan."

Joshua's face scrunched up in confusion, wondering why Hannah was pleased. "What is this plan?"

"You'll know in time, Josh, but for now I have an errand for you." Pulling out a file from her desk, she handed it to him. Opening it, he saw the face of one of their low-level operatives. Glancing back at the woman, he silently asked what he needed to do. "This young man knows who I am," she explained. "Now, he claims his job is information and espionage, but I want you to look into him. If he found out my real identity when searching for information he was supposed to, I'll keep him on a tight leash, but if he's been snooping around where he shouldn't be, I want you to take care of him… You're dismissed."

"Yes, mam." Joshua nodded, placing the file in his bag. "I'll get right on it." He stood up, placing the bag back over his shoulder before heading to the door.

"Please send in the lovely lady in the hallway when you leave," Hannah added.

Joshua silently nodded, opening the door and gesturing the next person in. As the young girl entered the room, Hannah jumped from her seat to greet her. "Elisabeth Grace Cordo, how have you been."

"Good, Master." Elisabeth nervously gulped, accepting the hug that Hannah freely gave. "It's good to be free."

"I imagine it would be," Hannah agreed, returning to her chair. "I nearly didn't recognise you without your silver hair."

Elisabeth smiled, shying away slightly. "I washed it off. It's nice to have it back to its normal colour."

"I'm surprised to see you didn't dye it to be the same as your father's."

"He likes it this way," Elisabeth explained. "Says it reminds him of my mother."

"I imagine it would," Hannah agreed, taking a better look at her young operative. Her silver hair was gone, replaced with her natural brown hair. She looked incredibly like her mother, with her silver eyes being the only thing that was distinctly her fathers. "Now, enough chit-chat, I have a mission for you."

"Now?"

"Yes, now." Hannah growled; she didn't like the way Elisabeth spoke back to her.

"Sorry," Elisabeth sulked, shyly glancing towards her feet. "I meant no disrespect. It's just, I've only been back a month after infiltrating Team Rocket for nearly two years."

"I know you have," Hannah agreed. "But this mission is different, you'll be yourself." Elisabeth drew her eyes up as Hannah pushed a file in front of her. Placing her hands on it, she brushed her fingers over the edge before opening the file. "Tell me, Elisabeth, how old are you now? Twelve? Thirteen?"

"Still twelve, Master." Elisabeth couldn't believe what she was reading. She quickly glanced at the image of the young boy with black hair she'd had a few run ins; whatever it was Hannah wanted, it involved Ash Ketchum. "What would you like me to do?"

And with that, Hannah Smiled.

* * *

 **What is Hannah up to? When Will Ash train again? And what happened in Mount Moon? Find Out Next Time!**

 **I know Pidgeotto evolves in the episode where they party, but I've decided to move that to when they return as Ash doesn't want to battle at the moment.**

 **I'll be putting a bio with all the character details up when I get the chance. Other than that, I'll be uploading on a fortnightly schedule until I have a decent buffer. Lastly, there were no battles in this one, but I promise there will be ones in the future.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)  
Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)  
Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)  
Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)  
Wartortle (Water) (Male)  
Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)  
Riolu (Fighting) (Male)  
Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)  
Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**  
 **  
Arcanine (Fire) (Male)  
Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)  
Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)  
Raticate (Normal) (Female)  
Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)  
Kingler (Water) (Female)  
Absol (Dark) (Male)  
Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)  
Primeape (Fighting) (Female)  
Muk (Poison) (Male)  
Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Brock's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Geodude (Rock/Ground) (Female)  
Onix (Rock/Ground) (Male)  
Zubat (Poison/Flying) (Female)  
Marowak (Ground) (Female) (Shiny)  
Vulpix (Fire) (Female)  
Kangaskhan (Normal) (Female)**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**  
 **  
Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)  
Honchkrow (Dark/Flying) (Male)  
Magnemite (Electric/Steel)  
Tauros (Normal) (Male) (Shiny)  
Doduo (Normal/Flying) (Female)  
Exeggutor (Grass/Psychic) (Female)  
Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying) (Male)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Diverging Paths

**Hey, so I said to myself that if I write to a certain point ahead of this chapter before Saturday, I would upload this. Which I have, so…**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 2 – Diverging Paths

Adjusting his white mask, the Masked Man waded perilously through the crumbling halls of the ancient temple, stopping every now and then to make sure his next footing wouldn't be his last. Beside him stood his blue, bipedal, canine-like companion, using his aura to light the darkened halls.

They weren't far from their destination, and by the look of the markings that covered the wall, they were in the right place. The temple itself was incredibly old, nearly as old as the oldest structure ever found. Having stood for thousands of years, the ancient temple showed its age, but also showed images of history long since forgotten.

They passed carvings of the universe before time, before Arceus rose and created the world. They saw carvings of the Legendary Pokémon; Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina as the descended from the heavens.

They saw Mew, and the ever-changing form as the one image turned into thousands of different Pokémon. But finally, they arrived at the place they sought, finding two individuals they had not expected.

Pausing, the Masked Man silently ordered his Pokémon to remain quiet as he leaned around the corner and peered inside the main chamber. Gazing over the far side of the main chamber, standing in front of a large carved mural, that covered the entire wall, was one, grey and purple, feline-like Pokémon and his aura counterpart.

" _So, this was the earliest stages of the world?_ " Mewtwo's questioned was answered as Sai raised his aura formed hand towards the mural, pointing at one of the tree main formation. The mural told a story, however you couldn't read it linearly. It showed three large environments that each encased a different looking bird-like Pokémon.

" **When the world was first created, it was chaotic, nearly uninhabitable, but somehow, from Mew, life found a way to survive.** " Sai continued to tell his story, but the Masked Man wasn't interested, he already knew it all.

For when Arceus indeed created the world, he hadn't planned on the chaotic weather patterns that would eventuate. On three parts of the world, three very different environments formed; one framed by ice, one with continuous electrical storms, and one with never end volcano eruptions.

Indeed, the mural explained this, showing the image of volcanos on one third of the wall. Another showed the storms, and the last third held large glaciers over the entire surface. The three environments, however, converged in the centre of the mural where lush tropical islands formed from the combination of the weather patterns.

But that wasn't where the story ended, however. The mural also told the story of three bird-like Pokémon that, over time, evolved to mimic the weather patterns of their respective environments. So there, as the three environments converged, were the forms of Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres all flying towards the centre.

" **As these three powerful birds formed, they fought to claim more land,** " Sai continued. " **They converged in a massive battle over the only stable environment of the planet. Here they fought, neither of them willing to surrender. The islands, which were lush with life, fell into chaos. One Pokémon, the strongest flying-type on the islands, rose to fight them. It tried to protect its home, but failed because the elemental types of Fire, Ice and Electric were too powerful for it, and it plunged into the sea.** "

" _Then how did the fighting stop?_ "

Sai pointed towards the middle of the mural, where the form of Lugia was shown rising from the ocean. " **Arceus felt sorry for the Pokémon that tried to protect its home, but also respect. So, he decided to help the Pokémon, transforming it into the form you see here. With its new powers, Lugia rose from the sea to challenge the three waring Pokémon again. This Lugia was strong enough to stop the three Pokémon, and send them to slumber on one of the islands nearby with a powerful song. Since then, the three elemental birds have slumbered for hundreds of thousands of years.** "

" _But how did the environment change?_ "

" **This was unforeseen,** " Sai explained. " **When the three birds slept on their individual islands, they stabilised the climate, and the three environments receded into the world we know now. But, if these three Pokémon were to ever awaken, chaos would return, and the world would be plunged into hell again.** "

" _That's a very interesting story, Sai,_ " Mewtwo said, gazing over the large mural. " _I would have never known the chaos this world had, you're showing me something I don't completely understand._ "

Sai smiled. " **This is only the beginning, Mewtwo, there is much of this world you still need to learn.** " Sai looked around for a moment, nearly noticing the Masked Man, who had to lean back behind the entrance to not be noticed. Realising he had explained all he could here, he turned back to Mewtwo." **Shall we head to the next location, Mewtwo?** "

" _Yes._ " Mewtwo nodded, but he didn't teleport them away. " _But before we go, I would like to know where and how you got the name Sai_."

Sai smiled again, pointing towards Mewtwo's head. " **Search my memories, you'll find them.** "

Mewtwo became confused, looking at his aura counterpart sceptically. " _Sai-_ " Mewtwo didn't have time to continue as his eyes suddenly glowed blue, and a memory flashed before his eyes.

* * *

Many years ago.

"AGH!" the girl groaned, looking at the device in her hands. "Why won't this thing work?" She tried shaking it, hitting it, but it didn't make a sound. "Stupid thing," she barked, throwing the device away.

But before the device hit the ground it was surrounded by purplish-pink energy. Suddenly, the device flew back towards the girl, who screeched in shock. "Hey! What was that for?" she yelled, turning towards the figure behind her.

" _You mustn't act so brash,_ " the figure replied, flexing its three-pronged hand as the device lowered into the girl's grasp. " _We can get it fixed once we reach Pallet Town. I'm sure Professor Oak wouldn't be happy if he knew how carelessly you treated one of his devices._ "

"I don't need your opinion, Mewtwo," the girl replied, adjusting her sunhat over her blonde hair. "I've done just fine before I became your trainer."

" _I know you have._ " Mewtwo agreed. "I wouldn't have let you become my trainer otherwise. Now, come on, Misty's waiting for us."

The young girl sighed in response, casting her gaze towards the ground. "I know," she reluctantly muttered, kicking a stone on the ground. Mewtwo gazed at the young girl, smiling knowingly. Like everyone else that met her, Mewtwo thought she was a boy when he first encountered the young, blonde haired, girl.

" _Come on, now, don't be like that._ " Mewtwo leant down next to the girl. " _I'm sure she'll be happy to see you._ " Mewtwo looked at the girl's face." _Besides, I think Red's with her._ " Her face morphed into one of instance happiness.

"Yeah!" She nodded eagerly. "I haven't seen him since the incident on Cerise Island, where I rescued you… Mewtwo." Her happiness suddenly faded as she eyed the psychic-type legendary Pokémon sceptically. "You're eager to find Red, is it because…"

" _No!_ " Mewtwo frantically replied, sensing her thoughts. " _You're my trainer now, not him. He may have captured me, but you were the one that risked yourself to save me. I am in debt to you, I'll be with you always._ "

"Thanks, Mewtwo." She smiled, tracing her eyes over the Pokémon's feline features. "Can I ask you a question?"

" _Sure._ "

"Do you have a name? I mean, everyone calls you Mewtwo, but to me that seems more of a description than a name. Sure, you're a clone of Mew, but that shouldn't define you."

" _I've never really thought about it,_ " Mewtwo admitted. " _Everyone's always called me that. Why? Have you got a better name for me?_ "

"No." she shook her head. "I just thought that you may like to be called something else other than a name which identifies you as a clone, because you are so much more than that."

" _I'll think about it,_ " Mewtwo mused. " _But for now, we should get moving, Cerulean City awaits._ "

"Fine." She sighed, grabbing Mewtwo's Master Ball.

" _Hmm?_ "

"What?" She quizzed, confused.

" _I seem to make you sigh a lot,_ " Mewtwo replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's it!" she exclaimed.

" _What?_ "

"Sai, I'll call you Sai."

Mewtwo looked at the young girl, a smile forming on his face as he played the name over and over in his head. " _Yes. Sai. I'd like that, Yellow._ " He disappeared in a beam of red energy.

* * *

" _What was that?_ " Mewtwo squeezed his eyes shut in confusion before opening them to look at Sai questioningly.

" **That was my memory,** " Sai explained. " **I gave you my memories before you killed me to help you understand how beautiful this world is. They'll come to you sporadically, sometimes when you least suspect it, but each will teach you something.** "

" _You could have warned me!_ " Mewtwo growled as they teleported away.

The Masked Man, sighing, entered the room with Lucario once it was clear. " **Why didn't we capture him?** " the Pokémon asked. " **I thought you had a deal with Giovanni?** "

"I do," the Masked Man agreed, approaching the mural. "But until he gives me what I want, he won't be getting anything from me."

He paused in front of the mural, allowing his right, gloved, hand to rise towards Lugia's form in the centre. Suddenly, he created a powerful glow of blue energy in his hand. Without even admiring his power, he shoved the aura into the mural.

A wave of aura washed over the mural, causing the carvings to light up in an afterglow. Slowly, the light spread out through the carvings, until the entire wall was illuminated. As the aura reflected off the carvings, the Masked Man began to speak in an ancient language that loosely translated to; "Rise from the shadows, creator of dreams."

He continued to chant the same say over and over until he was pushed back as a portal formed from the wall. The swirling purple, blue, and black grew larger until suddenly five small forms appeared from it.

As quickly as the portal appeared, it disappeared, leaving the five forms floating around Lucario and the Masked Man. Confused, Lucario looked at the strange looking creatures. They reminded him of an ancient language he'd seen in other temples, only they were all black, and had one eye.

The Masked Man didn't explain to his Pokémon what these creatures were, only turning and leaving. The five creatures followed their new master, after all, he had freed them. "Come along now, Lucario," the Masked Man ordered, leaving the chamber. "We have business with the Unknown."

* * *

The sun beat down on the small island resort. It had been a month since the end of the Pokémon League, with Ash and his friends enjoying the beautiful weather the tropical islands had to offer. Currently, they were enjoying a nice relaxing day on the beach, relishing in the suns natural glow.

Laying on one of the many chaises the resort provided, Ash watched his friend, Brock, feverishly try to flirt with another girl. Glancing over, he noted that the girl was at least a similar age to Brock, happy that he wouldn't be having any more conversations with the resort personal about hounding older woman, who found flirting with the young boy rather creepy.

Relaxing back into his chaise, he decided to let this one roll over, knowing that the girl would eventually ignore him and move one. Unfortunately, fate had a different idea. "Hey! What are you doing with my daughter?"

Ash quickly glanced back, realising that the worst possible outcome had occurred. Studying the scene before him, he found Brock stammering to reply to a really pissed off older man, who was clutching his young daughter protectively.

"Do you want to help him?" Misty asked from the chaise next to him. She was laying just as comfortably as he was, soaking in the sun.

"I did last time," Ash replied, remembering the hour-long lecture with security and the threat of eviction from the resort. "It's your turn now."

"Fine!" Misty begrudgingly rose from her chaise and waded over to the still stammering fool. It was the first time that day that Ash had gotten a good look at her. She was wearing a simple, blue, two-piece bikini, and while he had felt flustered the first time he'd seen her in it, and several other variations, he'd grown accustomed to seeing the young girl in very revealing clothing over the last few weeks. "We're very sorry, sir," he heard Misty say. "My, umm… Brother! He, umm, doesn't know what he's doing sometimes. If you let this slide, we'll walk away, and I'll make sure he doesn't bother you in the future."

"You better," Ash heard the man threaten. "Tell him to never come near my daughter again!"

"Will do." Misty nodded and began pulling her older friend towards the chaises they were laying on. "Seriously, Brock, do you want to get us kicked out?" she scolded as they returned to Ash.

"But, Misty! She was actually flirting back!" Brock retorted. He, like Ash, was only wearing board shorts. "She started touching me, not the other way around!"

"Ok, firstly, too much information!" She gaged. "And secondly, you've been warned about interrupting other people's vacations several times!"

"I really had a chance with this one," Brock groaned, slumping down into the chaise on the other side of Ash.

"Yeah, well, I think your chances have run out, Brock," Ash explained. "We're only here for two more days before we move on."

"You mean, I won't be able to see bikini clad babes as far as the eye can see any more!" Brock moaned.

"Ew! You ogling woman is not why we're here!" Misty stuck out her tongue in disgust, laying back down in her own chaise. "We're here to have a break from training, and there's some tournaments coming up soon that I'll want to enter."

"Excuse me," one of the resort staff interrupted, approaching the three trainers. Their thoughts aligned, believing he was there to tell them off, and when he stopped in front of Brock, they thought they were right. Surprisingly, they weren't. "I have a letter here for Brock Slate."

Sitting up, Brock took hold of the letter and thanked the staff member. "What is it?"

"I do not know." The man bowed. "Only that it was a priority message that we received this morning. Good day." He quickly walked away.

"What is it, Brock?" Ash asked as Brock read the letter.

"It's an invitation," Brock explained. "I've been invited to a tour of Reeve's Breeding Company Headquarters' as part of my prizes for winning the Scissor Street Breeding Contest."

"Did you know that was one of the prises?" Misty asked.

"No," Brock replied. "But the tour is in two days, and the Headquarters' is located on one of the islands nearby, so I guess we'll head there after we leave here."

"Sure," Ash and Misty agreed.

* * *

"So, are we in agreement?" Charles Goodshow studied the expressions of the members of the Pokémon League Board, gaging their reaction.

"Yes." Lance nodded, turning his attention towards the others. "But if anyone has any concerns I suggest they speak now."

"I still don't get why we're doing this," Cynthia quipped, crossing her arms over her chest. "Kanto was the region attacked, not Sinnoh. I don't like how this is affecting my league."

"I support that argument," Steven Stone added. "But I also know we have to do something."

Lance looked from Diantha to Adler, realising they weren't going to add anything, before turning his attention to the Pokémon Master. "What about you, Red?"

"You know my position on this," Red replied. "I don't like doing something that's going to affect my own child…" He paused, mulling over everything he'd heard. "But… Perhaps, in the long run, it will save a few lives."

Charles was about to put it to a vote, when Red cut in. "My only concern is that Mr. Contesta isn't here. He represents all Coordinators after all."

"I agree with that too," Professor Oak added. "I still haven't heard how this will affect young researchers in the field. Sometimes they need to be able to do work on their own, the Pokémon Scientists Association can't be babysitting them all the time."

"Mr. Contesta couldn't be here," Charles explained. "But he's already given me his vote in writing, so we can vote now. Shall we start?" They all nodded. "Lance?"

"Yes, for both Kanto and Johto."

"Steven?"

"Yes."

"That's three votes, yes. Cynthia?"

"No."

"Adler?"

"No."

"Diantha?"

"Yes."

"That's four votes, yes. Two votes, no. Mr. Contesta voted no. Professor Oak?"

"No."

"That's four votes a piece. looks like it comes down to you, Red."

Red looked at his fellow board members. He looked each Champion in the eye before glancing at the Professor next to him. Finally, he focused on Charles Goodshow. "Before I give my answer, I would like to say one thing. Sixteen years ago, Mr. Hartfield stood before this board as Pokémon Master and proposed we make changes to the League Charter regarding the age of Pokémon Trainers. I remember, I was the Champion of Kanto at the time. But what I remember most was you, Charles, and how you rallied as much support as possible to reject the proposal, and now, sixteen years later, here you are, proposing a bill very similar to his."

"I know, I'm hypocritical, but times have changed, Red."

"I know." Red sighed, casting his eyes downwards. "Which is why I vote; Yes."

"That's five votes to four in favour," the Vice President muttered. "The motion carries. The new law will be written into the League Charter."

"I hope you're happy." Cynthia roughly pushed her chair away before angrily stomping out of the room. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go inform my own League of the changes."

Red remained seated as the other board members slowly parted at the end of the meeting, casting his eyes over the bill that would now be written into law. "Don't take it to heart, Red," Lance said, standing behind him. "Cynthia is young, and the newest Champion, she still has a lot to learn."

"It's not that," Red explained, pushing his seat back and standing up. "I voted no, sixteen years ago. And here I am, as the Pokémon Master, representative of all Pokémon Trainer's on the board, and I can't help but feel like I've betrayed them."

"But you haven't," Lance reassured. "These changes are nothing like what Hartfield wanted."

"You know, his proposal was the reason I pushed so hard to defeat him twelve years ago," Red explained. "I didn't want him trying to push his agenda again, so I thought it was best to remove him from the board by taking his place."

"And now, twelve years later, you're doing something similar to what he did," Lance realised. "We can't change the past, but we can determine our own future."

"Sometimes I wish I could change the past, Lance," Red muttered, leaving the room. "Sometimes I really do."

* * *

Ash, Misty, and Brock couldn't believe the size of building in front of them. Scratch that, it wasn't just a building, it was a massive complex that nearly encompassed the entire island they were on. Right in front of them, atop the main entrance, hung a massive sign that read 'Reeves Breeding Company,' telling them they were at the right place.

Making their way through the glass panel doors, they found themselves in a large foyer that put some battlefields shame in its mere size. Wandering past several businessmen, who looked at the three kids rather strangely; some even pointing to the Pokémon on Ash's shoulder and in Misty's arms.

Brock grabbed his invitation and held it out to receptionist at the front desk. "Excuse me, mam," Brock muttered, quickly regaining his composure when he felt a warning jab in his ribs from Misty. "I have this invitation for an exclusive tour."

The woman took the invitation, reading it before looking the information up in her computer. "You must be Brock Slate," she muttered, reading the information. "If you wait here, someone will be here shortly to guide you through security. However, it doesn't say that you're allowed to bring guests."

"Oh," Brock muttered. "Are you sure?"

"Very," the woman replied. "They can wait here in the foyer while you tour our headquarters'."

"It's alright, Brock," Misty reassured. "We can wait here."

"Nonsense!" Everyone turned to see Julien Reeves approach them. His purple hair was the same as Ash remembered it; extravagant and elegant. "Mademoiselle, I'm sure you can put it in the computer that I am allowing these two to accompany us during the tour."

"Why, yes, Mr. Reeves!" the woman blushed. "I'll just need to issue them security passes."

"No need." Julien waved the issue off. "I'll guide them through security."

"But that's against protocol, sir," the woman replied.

"Who do you think wrote the protocol?" Julien replied, ushering the kids to follow. "Now if you'll follow me, we'll meet up with the other contest winner and start the tour."

"Other contestant winner?" Misty whispered to Ash.

"I don't know," Ash replied in a similar hushed tone.

* * *

"Woah!" Brock gasped as they entered a large indoor oasis. There were grassy fields as far as the eye could see, with a massive lake on one side, an artificial glacier on another. Near them were massive sand dunes that back onto an artificial volcano. The room was designed to house every environment imaginable, with forests laced sporadically.

"This is our largest sanctuary," Julien explained, waving his arm exaggeratedly as he pointed to the glass ceiling where light from the sun was bearing in. "The island has a dozen such rooms, similar to this one, where we keep variations of different Pokémon. This room, however, is used to house the high priority Pokémon."

"High priority Pokémon?" Ash questioned. "What do you mean by that? Aren't all Pokémon important?"

"Why, yes," Julien agreed. "But this is where we house the rarest Pokémon we have."

"Like Legendary Pokémon?" Misty asked.

"No." Julien shook his head. "We do not breed Legendary Pokémon as it is incredibly hard, and against League Rules. We keep Pokémon that are rarely found in the wild here, plus Pokémon of high profile clients."

"High profile clients?"

Julien sighed, realising he was going to have to explain everything. "Some of the Pokémon in this room belong to some of the regional Champions, like that one." He pointed to a strong looking, blue, four-legged steel Pokémon. "That is Steven Stone's prized Pokémon; Metagross. It's on loan to us to breed a Pokémon for someone in his family. Other's belong to some of the Master's."

Julien suddenly waved a person over, and when they approached, Brock realised them immediately. "Zoey? What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Brock," Zoey greeted. Her blonde hair cascaded well passed her shoulders now. "Hi, Ash. Hi, Misty. I'm here for the same reason you are; we were joint winners of the contest."

"Oh, yeah?" Brock blushed; embarrassed he'd forgotten about that.

As the two caught up, Misty leaned close to Ash's ear. "Hey, Ash, wasn't that the girl that your mother wasn't happy to find out had stayed at your place for a night?"

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "I don't exactly understand what happened. I only over heard part of their conversation when we got back. Something about teenagers, hormones, and 'not in my house.'"

"Did Brock ever explain what happened?"

"Not really," Ash explained. "But Professor Oak said that she was visiting him, an incident occurred, and she was stranded. Brock then invited her to stay the night as she had no where to go. Pallet Town doesn't have a Pokémon Centre, or any large hotels for that matter."

"Excuse me, Sir." Everyone was interrupted from their own conversations when a security officer approached. "We've had a major computer glitch, and you're needed in the head office immediately."

"I'll be there right away," Julien said, before turning to the four kids. "You four remain here and I'll be back shortly to continue our tour."

"Alright." They nodded.

"Feel free to explore the environment while I'm gone."

* * *

Ash and Misty found themselves by the massive lake, while Brock and Zoey went off and did their own thing. "So, Ash, have you thought about training your Pokémon yet?"

"Not really," he replied. "I've been enjoying my break."

"But what about your Pokémon? Surely they want to battle?"

"They do," Ash agreed, scratching Pikachu absentmindedly. "This little guy's been hounding me for the last week, haven't you, Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" he smugly confirmed.

"So why haven't you at least tried?" Misty asked.

"I'm not ready," Ash explained. "And my Pokémon understand that. I'll return to training eventually, but only when I feel confident enough."

"You can always talk to me about it," Misty consoled. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah-" Ash was cut off mid-sentence as the sanctuary was rocked by a massive explosion. Ash and Misty shielded themselves as glass rained around them, falling to the ground. Alarms blared as a large, blue, dragon-like Pokémon, with red wings flew over them.

Following the Pokémon, Ash and Misty noticed that a woman was riding atop it. Quickly jumping to their feet, Ash went to grab one of his Poké Balls before stopping. Hesitation brought the time the intruder needed, and before long, the Salamence was flying back over them. Ash's Pokémon, however, decided to react for him, as Charizard burst forth from his Poké Ball and ascended into the air.

Caught off guard as her Pokémon was assaulted, the woman accidently dropped the Pokémon egg she had gathered. Ash noticed the egg fall towards the ground, and immediately ran to catch it. With it continuing its free-fall quickly, he lunged, catching it and turning his body as he come to a hard thud on the ground.

Distracted, Ash hadn't noticed the continuing battle between Charizard and Salamence. While his Charizard was strong, the Dragon-type's advantage overpowered his strength.

Misty sensed this, and immediately called out her Vaporeon. "Ice Beam! Hit that Pokémon." A beam of ice shot forth from Vaporeon's mouth, colliding the one of the Pokémon's red wings.

Realising she was at a disadvantage, the woman ordered her Pokémon to retreat, but not before casting her gaze towards the two trainers below. "You haven't heard the last from me!" She warned, disappearing through the same hole she made.

"Everyone! Hands up!" Security surrounded them quickly, pointing weapons and summoning Pokémon. "Present your security passes."

Zoey immediately pulled hers out, while Ash, Misty, and Brock looked confused, realising what the receptionist meant.

"We don't have security passes," Ash explained, returning Charizard in a show of appeasement. He realised what it looked like; him holding an egg, like he was about to steal it. Slowly, he lowered it to the ground and left it there. "We were brought here by Julien Reeves."

"They don't have passes," one guard said. "Arrest them immediately!" Within seconds they were swamped, with their hands placed in handcuffs behind their back.

"Stop!" Julien declared, appearing with other security. "They are my guests, let them go immediately."

"Yes, sir." One security officer nodded, releasing the three trainers from their confines.

"I'll take that egg, if you don't mind," Julien stated, grabbing the Pokémon egg from one of the officers who had confiscated it. "You four follow me, my chief of security would like to debrief you."

* * *

"And that's what happened," Ash explained, recalling the events to the Chief of Security.

"Was there anything else you remember?" the Chief asked. "Anything identifiable about the woman who tried to steal the egg?"

"Oh!" Ash perked up. "Not much, but she wore these strange glasses."

The Chief glanced toward Julien. "Has a Salamence, wears strange glasses, sound familiar?"

"Yes." Julien nodded. "It looks like the low-key, Pokémon Hunter J is trying to move up in the world."

"I'll contact the G-Men," the Chief explained. "You'll have to continue the tour another day."

"I know."

* * *

Ash, Misty, Brock and Zoey sat on one of the lounges in the main foyer. The businessmen were gone, replaced with dozens of security guards. They were waiting to Julien, as he'd instructed. When the man appeared, they rose to their feet and approached him.

"I'm sorry for what happened," Ash apologised.

"Nonsense," Julien rebuffed. "If it wasn't for you, Hunter J may have stolen one of the Pokémon Eggs. It's me who should be thanking you…" He paused as two security officers approached, each carrying an egg. "Which is why I've decided to give you, and Misty, a gift." He grabbed the Pokémon Egg off the first officer and presented it to Ash. "This is the Pokémon you saved, and for my thanks, I want you to have it."

"Really?" Ash questioned. "But I thought this egg was really special."

"Oh, it is," Julien agreed, placing the egg in Ash's arms. "It's an egg from Steven Stone's Metagross."

"Wasn't that meant for someone in his family?" Ash asked. He was grateful, he just didn't understand why he was receiving an egg meant for someone else.

"Yes, but Metagross had three eggs," Julien explained, grabbing the other Pokémon Egg the second security guard. "Steven only wants one. He said I could do with the other two as I pleased. And this." He turned to Misty. "Is for you. I know you're a Water-type Pokémon trainer, and I think this will greatly help you."

"Thank you." Misty smiled, accepting the egg.

"Now, I think you have something to explain," Julien stated, turning to Brock.

"What's he talking about, Brock?" Ash asked.

"I only found this out recently, Ash," Brock explained. "I would have told you sooner if I'd known. But part of the prize for winning the breeding contest was an internship under Julien. And after talking while you two were being debriefed, I've decided to accept."

"So, you're staying here?" Ash realised. Brock nodded.

"I guess this is goodbye then?" Misty placed the egg down, approaching the young breeder. Brock immediately put his hand up to shake, but Misty simple batted it away. "Friends don't shake," she explained, enveloping him in a hug.

"I'm going to miss you," Brock said as they separated. "You've been like a sister to me."

"And you've been like the brother I never had."

"I'll miss you to, Brock!" Ash said, enveloping his friend in a hug before he knew what was happening. "I don't know what we're going to do without you!"

"I'm sure you'll manage," Brock reassured. "But I think it's time we went our separate ways. At least for a little while."

"We'll see you again, Brock." Misty said as they headed for the exit.

Brock didn't turn away as his two friends disappeared aboard the ferry that brought them here. He knew he would see them again, but it didn't mean it hurt any less to say goodbye.

"They'll be alright, Brock," Zoey reassured. "They can handle themselves."

"I know." Brock sighed. "I wonder if this is what it would have felt like to watch one of my brothers or sisters depart on their Pokémon Journey when they turned ten."

"That feeling means you really do care about them. Plus, look on the bright side, you get to spend a lot of time with me while we intern together!"

Brock smiled; Sure, he could live with that.

* * *

Julien watched the sombre goodbye from afar when his Chief of Security approached. "Excuse me, sir?"

"Yes, Thomas?"

"It appears we had another break in at the same time Hunter J attacked."

"What? Where?" Julien turned, concerned.

"I've just been informed that it occurred on Level 0."

"Oh, merde!" Julien placed his hand over his mouth in shock. "Yellow's Vault!"

* * *

 **What are the changes to the Pokémon League? What was inside the Vault? And what adventures will Ash and Misty get up to? Find Out Next Time!**

 **Next Chapter will be up in 2 weeks.**

 **I've already written the next chapter, but I need to know some minor details. While I thought Lapras is male, I don't know if its supposed to be male or female. Could people let me know what they think is correct.**

 **Also, I would like to know if it's alright to describe the Pokémon less and just state their names more. It's hard to describe their appearances before a battle. I will describe them during a battle, however, but would like to focus on describing them less when they're just out of their Poké Balls.**

 **Lastly, I have to rewrite some of the history of Red and such because an OC I added long ago to the first Arc has messed up with the timeline. Right now, as it stands, Delia had her dead daughter when she was 13, which is way too young. So, I have to move that birth to when she is 16, pushing things out of whack. Consequently, the deceased daughter would now be 13 if she was alive, not sixteen, and Red now became Master when he was 21. I wished I picked up on this mistake before I added the character, and it is the reason I no longer accept OCs that are related to Ash in any way.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)**  
 **Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Wartortle (Water) (Male)**  
 **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)**  
 **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)**  
 **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)**  
 **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

At Oak's Ranch:

 **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)**  
 **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Raticate (Normal) (Female)**  
 **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Kingler (Water) (Female)**  
 **Absol (Dark) (Male)**  
 **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)**  
 **Muk (Poison) (Male)**  
 **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Unexpected Company

**So, I got one of those reviews, and if anyone has read reviews from Farla or St Elmo's Fire, they would know what Colossal Trolls "they are" (they're), and don't seem to add anything of worth during their reviews. Personally, I hate people who talk down to you in reviews like they know any better, or are, in some way, better than you. My favourite part of the review was when they commented about the differences of "your" and "you're", like I didn't already know, and then used an example of a SINGLE typo to justify their claim. I'm an engineering student that must write 10 thousand-word essays on a regular basis, I am quite fluent in the English language and just because I missed a typo doesn't mean I can't write. I know I write a lot of typos, and I cringe when I re-read my story and find them, when I'm trying to understand somethings I'd already written. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to edit my stories at the moment.**

 **When I review with criticism, I add where the mistake is, but also talk about what they are doing well. I want to see them achieve, not bring them down because of my own insecurities. Believe me, I took nothing to heart, and I want others to know that they don't have to listen to reviewers like them.**

 **RANT OVER!**

 **Here's the next chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3 – Unexpected Company

Misty yawned, stretching, before she rose from her hotel bed. It'd been a day since she said goodbye to Brock, and while she was upset about seeing him go, she also couldn't help but smile when she thought it would be just like the first few days of their journey together; just her and Ash.

Changing into her usual yellow tank top and blue jean shorts, she made her way towards the hotel's foyer. Arriving at the hotel's café to claim her complimentary breakfast, she noticed Ash was already up. He, however, wasn't as happy as she was.

"Good morning, Ash," she greeted, taking the seat opposite him. For the first time she noticed the scowl on his face. "What's wrong?"

"I had a look at our finances today," he explained.

"And what's wrong?"

"We've spent over twenty grand in the last three weeks."

Had Misty been drinking anything, she probably would have spat it out right then. "Really! How?"

"It costs a lot to have three separate rooms at a luxury resort," he explained. "That, plus the tours we've been on, adds up to quite a lot. I can only access twenty-five grand, so we're going to have to start living within our means from now on, especially if you want to enter the Water Tournaments around here."

"That means…" Misty paused; she was too afraid to say it.

"Yep." Ash nodded. "No more hotels for us, we're going to be sharing a room at the Pokémon Centre again."

"I don't mind," Misty said, leaning back in her chair as she received a menu. "We did that for a long time before we found out we could spend the money we won."

* * *

Ash and Misty walked along the beach of Tangelo Island, heading for the ferry that would take them to their next destination, when Pikachu's ears suddenly perked up.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked, concerned.

"Pika." Pikachu's ears continued to twitch as he frantically searched for the source cry he heard.

Suddenly, a wail was loud enough for all of them to hear. Turning, Ash and Misty noticed the cry came from a Pokémon further down the beach. Breaking into a run, Ash and Misty paled at the sight before them. Three men were currently abusing a defenceless Lapras, with one hitting it in the head with a stick.

"Come on!" one man yelled.

"Get up and start moving, you stupid lump," another added.

"You better listen, or else," the man with the stick warned, raising his stick threateningly. The Lapras didn't respond, and the man swung his stick, hitting the defenceless Pokémon.

Rage rose within Ash as he listened to the Pokémon cry out in pain once again. "Hey, you guys, quite hitting it! Why don't you leave that Lapras alone!"

"I bet it never did anything to hurt you!" Misty added.

"Pika! Pika!" Hatred seeped from Pikachu's voice.

Lapras looked at Ash and Misty before giving another wail.

"Who asked your opinion?" the leader asked, jumping from atop Lapras' back.

"Yeah! This is none of your business," his friend added.

"We don't need any brats like you telling us how to handle our Pokémon!" the man with the stick finished.

"Yeah! We're getting ready for our big Pokémon battle against the Orange Crew, so get lost!"

"I can't believe you three are Pokémon Trainers," Misty muttered.

"They're not really, Misty," Ash stated, earning an angry growl from the three men. "For if they were, they would know that they need to capture Lapras inside a Poké Ball to claim it as one of their Pokémon."

"This will teach you to but into our business, kid!" the leader declared as the three men released their Pokémon.

Three glows faded to reveal Hitmonchan, Spearow, and Beedrill. "I don't even need to battle you," Ash stated as Pikachu lunged onto the sand, ready to fight. "My Pikachu will be fine on his own. It appears that you've really pissed him off."

The three men ordered their Pokémon to attack, as Pikachu raced across the sand. "Hold it!" Everyone froze, staring at the new comer as he approached. "This should only take a second." The strange man, wearing a red bandana, approached the three Pokémon on the opposite side, pulling out a tape measure. His green shirt bunched as he leaned in front of Spearow. "The feathers on your Spearow indicate it's not getting enough vitamins, and it could stand to lose a few pounds." He sketched something in his book before moving onto Beedrill. "The colouring on this Beedrill is pretty poor." He moved onto Hitmonchan. "And it's obvious this Hitmonchan isn't getting enough exercise."

"Uhh…" Ash was confused. What was going on?

"Hmm, it's just as I suspected," the man stated, rising to his feet. "It's easy to see that these Pokémon are pitifully underdeveloped."

"What do you mean, underdeveloped?" the leader asked.

"But this Pikachu," the man continued, ignoring the three men. "Looks just perfect! You can tell because its coat is so shiny." He picked up Pikachu without a second thought.

"Uhh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ash warned.

"I just want to make a quick sketch," he explained, placing Pikachu down on a rock and pulling out his book again. "Now hold still."

"Pika?" Pikachu's ears twitched in confusion.

"It looks like your Pikachu's electric sacs are in super shape! Really strong!" the man declared. "Hey, why don't I measure Pikachu's power levels with my voltage meter right now!" He quickly reached into his large bag, pulling out the measuring device. He placed the two prongs onto either of Pikachu's sacs as the three men behind him grew impatient. "Ok, now show me a Thunder Shock!"

"That's not a good idea," Ash warned, but it fell on deaf ears.

"We can't let these creeps ignore us," one of the men declared.

"Let's go guys!" the leader ordered, pointing towards Pikachu. The three Pokémon charged.

"Watch out!" Ash yelled.

"Pika… Chu!" Pikachu yelled as he unleashed a powerful Thunder Shock that ignited everyone except Ash, Misty and Lapras.

"That was pretty good," the man with the bandana stated, slumping over in pain.

Fear ran through the three men when they realised the power of a single attack from the small Pikachu. Deciding to cut their losses, they returned their Pokémon and fled.

"Are you ok?" Ash asked, approaching the young man that was still on the ground.

The man jumped up before Ash could even survey the damage, racing towards the injured Lapras. "We've got to get help!" he stated, leaning in front of the Pokémon's head. "I think this Lapras may be really hurt."

"Ahh," Ash gasped as he raced towards the Pokémon, stopping when the young man gave him a potion.

"Here, it's medicine!" He ran off, running further down the beach.

"What're you doing?" Ash yelled.

"You get Lapras to take it," the man explained as he disappeared. "I'll find Nurse Joy!"

Ash stared at the medicine before approaching Lapras, trying to get the defenceless Pokémon to open its mouth to accept the vial's nozzle. "Here, drink this, Lapras, it'll help."

Lapras didn't budge, instead swinging its head and knocking the vial out of Ash's hands. "That man better hurry," he muttered. "I don't know how long Lapras has."

* * *

A long time ago…

Misty Williams dived out of the way of the stampeding Rhydon. She couldn't understand why the Pokémon was acting the way it was, or why it seemed to be unimaginably powerful. In her ten years of life she had learned many things; one of them being that Pokémon like these were found on Mount Silver, not in the docile Mount Moon. She would know; she'd travelled many times through this mountain with her father.

"Bulbasaur, Grab it with your vines! Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Both Pokémon followed Red's command. Bulbasaur threw out its vines and wrapped them around the raging Rhydon, while Pikachu raced towards Rhydon with its tail glowing.

Tied down, the Rhyhorn was unable to avoid the incoming attack, and as Pikachu's tail smashed into the Pokémon, Misty had her own idea. "Staryu, Water Gun!" The combined effect of the Steel-type attack and the barrage of water were too much for Rhydon as he slumped down, unconscious.

Red approached Rhydon cautiously wile pulling out a device Misty had never seen before.

"What is that?"

"It's my Pokédex," Red cryptically replied, placing the device near Rhydon's head. He waved it over the left side, waiting for any kind of signal, and stopped when the device beeped. He pulled out Poké Ball silently, tapping the Pokémon on the head with it, and watched as another Pokémon was caught.

"Why'd you catch it?" Misty asked curiously, leaning over Red to look at the Poké Ball.

"I'll send it to Professor Oak to be tested," Red explained. "This device was a gift from him." He waved his Pokédex in front of her. "It allows me to do many things, and one of them is scan for implants."

"Implants?" Misty had never heard of such a thing.

"This Pokémon has a microchip in its ear," Red continued. "This isn't just some wild Pokémon, it's a rescue Pokémon."

"Rescue Pokémon?"

* * *

"Rescue Pokémon?" Ash asked. Nurse Joy nodded. "As in, it helps rescue people when they're in trouble?"

"No, you're thinking of Emergency Rescue," Nurse Joy explained. "The term 'Rescue Pokémon' means that this Pokémon was rescued after being found injured. Most times it's a Pokémon that's been abandoned by its trainer, but sometimes it can also mean wild Pokémon who are so badly injured that they can't survive on their own."

"If it's a rescue Pokémon, how did it end up on the beach?" the man, asked, looking out the large wooden cabin towards the pool outside, where Lapras was swimming. For a Pokémon Centre the place was quite quaint; a simple one-story, wooden, building to be precise, with very little room inside. Sure, it over looked the whole island, but it was clear that the place wasn't known for its Pokémon battles; if a tournament was ever to be held on the island, the Pokémon centre would be swamped.

"The nearest Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre is an island over," Nurse Joy explained. "At the Reeve's Breeding Company Headquarters'. She may have been displaced after the attack I heard happened there yesterday."

"Wait, don't you look after Pokémon like that?" Misty asked, confusingly scrunching her brow. She knew Pokémon Centres helped wild Pokémon as well, so what was different about this one?

"I can, but she is different," Nurse Joy agreed. "I have wild Pokémon here all the time, but most of them only need standard healing and can depart within a few days."

"She?" Ash asked.

"Yes, Lapras is female, and very young," Nurse Joy explained. "Based on the information I was able to find thanks to her microchip, she was found a few weeks ago, alone and barely able to swim; she required more than a standard treatment. She was sent to a Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to be healed, but because she was weak, with a prolonged stay in care, and very young, she can't be released back out into the wild because she wouldn't be able to survive on her own."

"Could anyone catch her?" Ash asked, concerned.

"They could." Nurse Joy nodded. "She would most likely have been given to a volunteer trainer after she was fully healed. But it seems she doesn't trust humans very much; I struggled to help her."

"Will she be alright?"

"Yes, she'll be just fine." Nurse Joy smiled. "The injuries caused on the beach were very minimal, and I've managed to heal her. I've called the Rescue Centre to come and pick her up."

"That's good news," Misty said as they all looked out the large glass windows.

"Hey, I would like to thank you for helping us protect Lapras," Ash said, sticking out his hand to the older man. "I'm Ash."

"Tracey." The man, now known as Tracey, grabbed the hand enthusiastically.

"And I'm Misty." Misty quickly shot out her hand to shake his as well.

"It's nice to meet both of you."

* * *

"I knew she was an infant the moment I saw her," Tracey quietly explained, glancing towards the now sleeping Lapras. "Nurse Joy said they'd found her a few weeks ago. Big schools of Lapras pass by these islands this time of year, so it's possible she got separated from her group during the freak storm we had a while back." he added, drawing the two Pokémon in front of him into his book. A few hours had passed, with Ash and Misty playing with Riolu and Togepi to pass the time.

"You sure know a lot about Pokémon," Ash noted, allowing his young Pokémon to jump over him.

"Well, you learn a lot from being a Pokémon Watcher," Tracey explained.

"A Pokémon Watcher? What's that?" Misty asked.

"Pokémon Watchers travel the world, looking for all kinds of Pokémon to watch and study," Tracey explained. "I observe and study their characteristics and abilities and write them down in my note book." He raised the book he was drawing Riolu and Togepi in. "Sometimes, if you're lucky, a Pokémon Watcher may in fact discover new Pokémon that have never been seen before, but I haven't had such luck."

"That sounds an awful lot like a Pokémon Researcher," Misty muttered.

"In a way, we are," Tracey agreed. "But I don't go as in depth as researchers do. I simply write a brief few notes and then draw the Pokémon."

"So that's what you were doing on the beach," Ash realised. "You were studying the Pokémon in the battle."

"Yep!" Tracey smiled. "And can I say that your Pokémon are in such better health than those three idiots'."

"Thanks." Ash smiled. "But it wasn't just us. We had a friend who's trying to become a breeder who helped us feed and take care of our Pokémon."

"Oh, really? He sounds nice."

"Yeah, Brock's cool," Ash muttered. "But he had to leave to continue his dreams, it's just Misty and I now."

"Nurse Joy!" Their conversation was interrupted when three kids suddenly burst into the Pokémon Centre, each carrying an injured Pokémon.

"Nurse Joy, my Sandshrew got scratched, when we were training, by accident." The young boy held up his little Pokémon.

"And my Voltorb's a little tired, so maybe it could stay here for a day, maybe?" the girl in the middle frantically added.

"Please miss, my Starmie needs a check-up because I want to challenge the Orange Crew," the last boy added.

"Well, let's have a good look at them," Nurse Joy politely agreed.

"The Orange Crew?" Ash muttered, never realising he'd spoken aloud.

"Don't you remember, Ash?" Misty questioned. "Those three guys on the beach mentioned something about battling the Orange Crew too."

"That's right." Ash nodded. "I wonder what it's all about?"

"The Orange Crew is what everyone here calls this group of Gym Leaders from the islands of the Orange Archipelago," Tracey explained.

"Gym Leaders?" Misty questioned. "I didn't know the Orange Islands had its own League."

"It's not like the Pokémon Leagues in the main regions," Tracey added. "As a 'Minor League,' it serves as a testing ground for trainers who don't have a high enough League Ranking to enter straight into the Pokémon League. If you defeat the Orange Crew, you get to face the Orange Champion. Your League Ranking will go up whether you defeat the champion or not."

"Professor Oak said something similar when I first returned to Pallet Town," Ash mused. "I'll give him a call to find out more. Excuse me."

* * *

A long time ago…

Red and Misty Williams found themselves in the middle of Mount Moon, looking around at the large natural chamber that opened into the night sky. "We're at the centre of the tunnel network," Misty mused. "I didn't come through here when I passed through last time."

"I thought this was the only way," Red said, making his way towards the centre of the chamber.

"It's not," Misty explained following him. "My father showed me a few secluded tunnels where you're less likely to run into wild Pokémon looking for a fight, they skip right around the main chamber."

"You were lucky then." Red crouched down as he neared a large table at the centre, that was completely out of place. They were alone, but it felt like this place had been regularly occupied recently.

The table wasn't the only one, with several strewn throughout the chamber, with dozens of electric and scientific equipment placed upon them. Next to the table near the centre of the chamber was a large grey bolder that looked completely different from the rocky caves they'd been in.

"How so?" Misty asked as they stopped next to the boulder.

"Because if you did, I imagine you would have run into the people causing this," Red explained. "This looks like a set up for some kind of experiment, and Rhydon aren't naturally found here. I think whoever set this up was experimenting with Pokémon."

"You might be right, I've never seen this rock before," Misty agreed, shivering. "Can you feel that? I feel like I'm gaining strength from it."

"You're right." Red didn't want to explain his aura abilities. He was still a trainee, and he hadn't even been able to build an empathy link with his Pokémon, let alone use his aura sense or even create an aura bond, but even he could feel the strength he was gaining from this stone. Whatever it was, it strengthened aura like he'd never seen before.

"Do you think this may have been what sooped up Rhydon and made it more powerful than ever?" Misty asked.

"Possibly," Red agreed, studying the rock from his crouched position. He noticed a large hole in one side, where it looked like the rock had been drilled through. "They were certainly looking for something inside it." He rose back up, quickly walking towards the table where he noticed a pick-axe.

"What're you doing?" Misty asked, concerned as he returned with what she considered to be a weapon.

"We have no idea what this rock is," Red answered, smashing the pick into the rock. A large piece shattered off, and he quickly picked it up. "I can't carry the rock with me, so I'll send this piece and Rhydon to Professor Oak for some testing, he'll know what's going on."

"Hey? Did you here that?" Red and Misty turned their heads towards the tunnel they'd entered from. They weren't the ones who'd asked the question, and they were sure they didn't want to find out who did.

"Yeah, sounded like somethings going on in the lab," another mused. "Maybe that Rhydon, Boss had us experiment on, has returned."

"Perhaps it was that Gyarados we found," the first voice argued. "It'll be good to document how it affects Pokémon like that. Maybe the rage kicks in more."

"Will you two shut up and get moving!" a third barked, clearly feminine, but also authoritative. "I want the area secured again now!"

"Yes, mam." the other two quickly sped up, their footsteps rising as they neared the chamber.

Misty was furious. How could they've done something to her Pokémon? She was damn well ready to give them a piece of her mind, but when Red grabbed her arm, she glanced at him. Red shook his head, telling her they needed to run.

Deciding he was right, Misty followed Red towards the other side of the chamber where there was another tunnel that led towards Cerulean City. As they made it to the tunnels entrance, they quickly glanced back at the chamber, gazing at the two figures that entered. The only defining feature of note was the big, red, 'R' on their black jumpers, right where the breast pocket would be.

"Hey! Look over there! Intruders!" Red and Misty knew they had to run.

* * *

"Hey, Ash! Hey, Misty!" Professor Oak greeted as the screen came to life. "How's your vacation going? I haven't heard much since you left."

"It's been going great, Professor!" Ash answered.

Tracey wandered behind them, gasping when he noticed who'd answered the call.

"So, what's the meaning of this call, Ash?" Professor Oak asked. "Is it about your Pokémon here?"

"No, Professor." Ash shook his head. "Although, if you could please tell them I said 'hi,' it would be much appreciated."

"Will do."

"The reason I'm calling is to ask about my League Ranking," Ash added, explaining his thoughts. "I don't know what my League Ranking is."

"I can look that up for you if you'd like," Professor Oak said.

"If you could, that would be great!" Ash smiled.

"Sure!" He quickly typed something into his computer. "Here we are. Your current League Ranking is eight thousand two hundred and thirty-four. Would you like to know your Trainer Rank?"

"I'm that low?" Ash groaned, slouching in his chair.

"I'm afraid so." Professor Oak solemnly smiled. "But you should do what Gary and Leaf are doing."

"What are they doing?"

"They're entering smaller tournaments that they're allowed to enter based on their Trainer Rank," Professor Oak explained.

"Trainer Rank? How's that different from my League Ranking?" Ash asked.

"You're Trainer Rank determines what kind of tournaments you're allowed to enter," Oak continued. "While any ranked trainer can enter the Pokémon League based on their League Ranking, smaller tournaments only allow trainers of a certain Trainer Rank and above. It's to prevent trainers, who aren't ready for stronger opponents, from facing them."

"What's my Trainer Rank, Professor?"

"It says here your Trainer Rank is 'Beginner,'" Oak explained. "Yours too, Misty. I suggest both of you begin entering some smaller tournaments to get your League and Trainer Rankings up."

"How do I get my Trainer Rank up?" Misty asked.

"Win a few Beginner Ranked tournaments," Professor Oak explained. "Once you win a few tournaments of a certain rank, your rank is usually upgraded."

"So we gain League points by battling in tournaments, and increase our Trainer Rank if we win them?" Ash mused.

"Yep!" Professor Oak nodded. "So, if you want to enter the Pokémon League, you're going to have to start entering smaller tournaments."

"Thanks, Professor!" Ash smiled. "I promise to call soon, ok?"

"I'll look forward to it!" Oak smiled, ending the call.

"Wow!" Tracey exclaimed as the video call ended, startling the two younger trainers. "I can't believe I know two people who know my hero, Professor Oak!" He looked quickly between Ash and Misty.

"What's the big deal about knowing Professor Oak?" Ash asked, confused.

"Yeah, he's a really nice guy, but-" Misty was cut off as Tracey fronted her angrily.

"Every Watcher knows Professor Oak is one of the greatest Pokémon experts on the whole entire planet!" Tracey yelled.

"I knew Professor Oak was smart, but I didn't know he was famous too," Ash muttered.

"That's it!" Tracey took a step back, calming himself. "Ok, you've just got yourself a new traveling buddy!" Ash and Misty looked at him, both concerned and confused. "See, if I travel with you, I'll finally get the chance to meet my hero, Professor Oak."

"Hey, you just can't invite yourself along!" Misty argued; she was enjoying it just being her and Ash

"Excuse me," Nurse Joy interrupted. "But, if I may help, I received this memo yesterday, and it says that the Pokémon League are changing a few things on the League Charter regarding Pokémon Trainers under a certain age."

"What changes?" Ash asked. "And how come we haven't heard of them?"

"The League hasn't announced them yet," Nurse Joy explained. "All I know is a memo went out to all Pokémon Centres with the explanation of the changes to the charter and too expect an influx of trainers to each Pokémon Centre when the changes are announced at a press conference before the 'Tournament of Masters' that begins next week."

"So, what're the changes," Misty asked, annoyed that Nurse Joy hadn't fully answered Ash's question.

"I shouldn't be telling you this, the memo was really only for officials at each Pokémon Centre," Nurse Joy muttered. "But, the League has changed the charter so that any Pokémon Trainer under the age of thirteen has to be accompanied by a Trainer sixteen years, or older."

"It's not the end of the world." Ash shrugged. "I guess that means you can join us," he quickly added, glancing at Tracey.

"Thanks!" Tracey smiled. "But I assume there is something more official to this than just being with them."

"There is." Nurse Joy nodded. "Along with the memo was a bunch of papers you'll all need to fill out and sign. I can print them out for you and you can fill them out before you leave, and I can send them on."

"Great!" Misty groaned, slouching. "More paperwork."

* * *

A long time ago…

Red and Misty Williams slouched down, gasping for air as they made it to the exit of Mount Moon. All their Pokémon were unconscious, and they'd been running since they were discovered.

"You… think… we… lost… them?" Misty asked between breaths.

"Possibly," Red gasped. "But… they'll… find… us… if we… remain… here."

"My parents… have a… house near… Cerulean… City," Misty explained. "We can… hide there."

"Lead… the way." Red and Misty rose to their feet, still gasping for air. Quickly, they moved on, leaving the horrors of Mount Moon behind.

* * *

"Thank you." Nurse Joy smiled as she gathered the papers. "I'll send these off once they announce the changes." She quickly glanced up, noticing a large green truck, with a 'Rescue and Rehabilitation' logo on it, back up the driveway, reversing towards the pool. "Strange, they said they would be here to pick up Lapras tomorrow, not today."

Hearing this, Ash, Misty, and Tracey followed the nurse out the back. What they saw shocked them. Three figures were trying to coax Lapras towards the truck, and when it wouldn't work, they launched a net over the Pokémon.

"Hey! This isn't standard procedure!" Nurse Joy glared. "If a Pokémon is reluctant you're supposed to tranquilise it and slowly move it, not use brute force!"

"Shove off, lady," the female of the trio yelled. "We know what we're doing!"

"Ash? Does that voice sound familiar?" Misty asked.

"Yeah," Ash agreed, nodding his head. He didn't need to here the voice, he'd recognise the aura of those three anywhere. "You're not here to help, so what're you doing with Lapras?"

The three individuals dragged Lapras onto the truck before tying her down. Suddenly, smoke filled the air, shrouding everyone.

"Oh, no," Misty coughed.

"What's happening?" Tracey asked as they heard a maniacal laugh.

"Prepare for trouble," Jesse chanted, appearing in her standard grey tank top and skirt, with a big Red 'R' over her chest.

"And make it double," James declared, appearing in his usual grey outfit.

"To protect the world from devastation," Jesse continued.

"To unite all people within our nation," James added.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket blasting off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Meowth, that's right," Meowth said, jumping in front of Jesse and James. As the smoke cleared, they appeared atop Lapras in their signature stance.

"Did they just recite a motto instead of escaping with Lapras while we were blinded by smoke?" Tracey asked incredulously.

"Yep." Ash nodded. "These three are Jesse, James, and Meowth, the three dumbest criminals I have ever met. Seriously, I haven't seen you in six months, and you turn up now?"

"Hey, we're not dumb!" Jesse retorted.

"Then why are you still here?" Misty asked. "I would be halfway down the hill by now!"

"Ya know, dey do have a point," Meowth muttered.

"Shut it, Meowth," Jesse grabbed the Pokémon roughly before turning towards Ash and his friends. "Now if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way!"

"You're not going anywhere with Lapras!" Ash angrily declared.

"Like you have any say in it," James replied. "Weezing, Smog Attack!" He released his Pokémon, who immediately covered the area in thick black smog. Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Nurse Joy struggled to breathe as Team Rocket got away.

Rushing to the front of the Pokémon Centre, Ash and Misty watched as Team Rocket sped down the hill. "Ash, we can't let them get away!"

"We can't catch them on foot!" Ash replied. "We'd need something faster." He searched the area around the Pokémon Centre, looking for anything that could carry them quickly, when he noticed three bikes the young trainers from earlier must of come in on. "Like those bikes!"

"But, Ash, how do we know where they are?" Misty questioned as she followed him.

"There's only one road from here to the city, and if we don't find them by then, we can use my Venonat's sensors to help," Tracey explained.

"We better get a move on if we want to catch them!"

* * *

"Da Boss ain't expecting dis!" Meowth declared happily as they sped away.

"Just wait until we drop this Lapras in his lap," James added, steering the vehicle.

Outside, Lapras struggled with her bonds, trying everything to break free while she wailed in pain and fear. "Hey, keep it down, you big baby!" Jesse warned, leaning over the passenger side window.

"There they go! Come on!"

"Huh?" Glancing up, Jesse watched in shock horror as Ash, Misty, and Tracy cut through the forest, shortening their trip down the hill. "The… Twerp!" Lapras wailed when she saw them, happy to see a familiar and friendly face. "Step on it, James, and fast!"

"Hang on," James warned as he pressed the accelerator. The truck sped up, drawing away from Ash and his friends.

Ash put extra strength into his pedalling, relieved that Team Rocket were driving one of the slowest forms of transport when it came to vehicles; a truck. He slowly gained on them. "Don't worry, Lapras, I'll save ya!"

Lapras wailed fearfully, encouraging Ash to push harder, until he was able to lunge onto the truck. "You'll be fine, Lapras!" He moved towards the front of the truck slowly, clinging onto the ropes that held Lapras to the truck for dear life. When he made it to the front, he ordered Pikachu to his them with a Thunder Shock.

The burst of electricity that followed surprised Jesse, James and Meowth, causing James to accidentally press the release button for the trailer. "Uh-oh," he muttered, realising what he'd done. Before long, the trailer smashed into the front of the truck, clearly showing it was heavier. "We have to bail!"

It was too late for them though, as they were sent flying over the next cliff while the trailer continued along the road. "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Lapras was now safe from Team Rocket, but they had another dilemma; how to stop the trailer before they died. As they neared another bend, Ash tried to manoeuvre the truck by leaning on one side, but it was no hope.

They were launched over the cliff, and Ash and Pikachu clung to Lapras for dear life. The force of the launch broke Lapras' bonds, and she was able to stretch her four fin-like limbs as they dove towards the water below. "If we stick together, I'm sure we'll be alright." They plunged into the ocean below.

* * *

"Ash? Pikachu?" Misty called as Tracey, Nurse Joy, and herself searched for the missing boy. They'd looked all over the island and were now down on the beach in the setting sun.

"Ash!" Tracey added, before looking at his purple, fluffy, Bug-type Pokémon. "You're positive they're around here, Venonat?"

"Veno nat, veno nat." Venonat nodded with its own body, its giant red eyes sparkling as it scanned for them. It turned towards the ocean before jumping up and down while chanting its name happily.

Tracey followed his Pokémon's gaze, his eyes landing on a strange silhouette out at sea. "What's that?" he asked, trying to get a better look. All the while, Venonat continued to chant its name robotically.

"Aha!" Misty exclaimed, recognising the silhouette. "It's Ash, Pikachu, and Lapras!" Ash and Pikachu were happily seated atop Lapras' hard shell back as they swam over.

"They're alright!" Nurse Joy added, relieved.

"Pika!" Pikachu happily declared as they rode into shore.

"Hey!" Ash waved.

Misty, Tracey, and Nurse Joy raced over to the young boy as his feet hit the sand. "What happened, Ash?"

"I was knocked unconscious," Ash explained. "And when I awoke I was on Lapras' back. We were floating not too far from shore."

"You had us really worried," Misty said, resisting the urge to punch him in the arm. "Don't do something foolish like that again."

"I can't make any promises," Ash joked, showing her a glimpse of his pearly white teeth as he smiled nervously. "Oh, and Nurse Joy! Lapras wants to come with me, is it possible I could catch her?"

"It sure is, Ash." Nurse Joy smiled. "I can just call the Rescue Centre and explain that Lapras now has a trainer… I would, however, like to keep you both overnight in the Pokémon Centre for observation. I just need to make sure there aren't any lasting effects from your concussion."

"Thank you." Ash smiled. He turned towards his new and old travelling companions. "So, where're we going tomorrow?"

"Well there's a Water Tournament on Mikan Island soon, so I thought we'd head there," Misty explained.

"And that's where the first Orange League Gym is!" Tracey added.

"Sure!" Ash smiled, following his friends as they headed for the Pokémon Centre. "Let the adventure begin!"

* * *

 **How will Misty go in the Water Tournament? What happened to Red and Misty Williams? And will Ash enter the Orange League? Find Out Next Time!**

 **Based on the rant above, I'm looking for Beta Readers to read and correct my story. I don't have the time this year as I'm writing my thesis on how vibrations affect structure, to edit and update each chapter. If someone would like to become a Beta Reader for this story, just PM me. But please be serious about it, as I had a bad experience with Beta Readers from the Reign of Mewtwo. I would upload the chapter for them, and they wouldn't read it, or they would and then they wouldn't reply with anything.**

 **This chapter just kept going and going. I originally thought it would be 2500-3500 words tops, and it just kept growing. It went for so long, that I moved one piece from this chapter into the next one.**

 **Review Reply:**

 **Review (Guest): Some time ago, in TPMJ, you were saying that Jesse & James would get some Pokémon in this fanfic. The reason I asked about this was because I felt kind of sorry for those two, because they hardly catch any Pokémon. So, I'm thinking that you have plans for which Pokémon they will catch. If you can't say them now, you could at least say which one of the Pokémon they won't catch will be.**

 **Reply: They will, and by their appearance here, it shows that they will be reappearing again. In fact, I saw no better way for Ash and Lapras to bond than him rescuing her from Team Rocket the way he does in the episode the chapter was based off. Jesse and James will also become less incompetent over time. They won't be the main villains, but they will get better at stealing Pokémon.**

 **Review (Miss Geek): Maybe when they meet Rudy, could Misty not be so into him as much as she was, only because I think this story is kinda swaying to a mature misty and ash, which I love btw, it's not really like the anime if u get me, so yeah. Maybe u can use that idea if u can call it that lol. Good luck with the rest of the arc.**

 **Reply: Thank you. However, Misty will be acting the exact same way she does in the episodes with both Danny and Rudy. And the reason she will be is quite simple; to me, this is what legitimises Pokeshipping over other ships. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ash has never gotten jealous of his other female companions when they have had other males interested in them. But with Misty, he gets so distracted when she's either flirting, or being flirted with, that he can't even focus on the task at hand. And to people reading this, don't say it's because he wants attention during the Gym Battles, because he gets jealous in the first season when he thinks that Misty only wants to win a competition to get her photo taken with a famous male actor, and drops his jealousy when she explains its about a doll set instead. It's quite clear to me that Ash has only ever been jealous of one female companion when she receives male attention.**

 **Review (Miss Geek): Omg omg OMG omg Misty's mum and dad are alive ahhhhhhh omg this could be great for her potentially knowing how to control aura like her dad if she finds him always wanted to see a parent relationship with Misty's real parents they have not really been in fanfics.**

 **Reply: Don't assume Ethan is alive. I know what I have planned for the character, and right now he is only being used to introduce a new enemy far worse than Legion, which will be explored further in the coming chapters. On another note, does anyone have a problem with witnessing death in this story? If they do, I'll trying not to show it, but will explain lifeless bodies.**

 **Review (Fox): Please give Ash a Larvitar. It would be fun to see him take care of a baby, a shell and command the respect of the Tyranitar.**

 **Reply: Ash gets a Larvitar in Johto if I'm not mistaken. You'll have to wait until then to see what I do with the Pokémon.**

 **Review Reply End.**

 **I'll be adding a Pokémon list for Tracey soon.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)** **  
** **Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)  
Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:** ****

 **Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Seel (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Feebas (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Seaking (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Staryu** **  
** **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)** **  
** **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Mikan Water Tournament

**Here is the next chapter guys. I know it's been a long time, but I've finally got the all clear medically, and I'm now on break from Uni.**

 **A special thanks to gio08 for being my Beta Reader, if anyone else would like to be one, just let me know!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Mikan Island Water Tournament

Travelling on Lapras' back seemed a cheaper and far more convenient mode of transportation than waiting for ferries daily. Misty was reluctant at first, but once Lapras had shown she was willing to ferry them, she decided to ride on her. Another advantage, soon discovered, was that Ash and Misty could release their Water-types to swim alongside them.

Ash, only having Wartortle as his other Water-type, laughed as his Pokémon happily jumped too and from the water. Meanwhile, Misty only released Seel and Feebas; she feared for Psyduck's safety and didn't know if Vaporeon could swim against the ocean currents.

"We're almost there!" Tracey declared, pointing towards the island silhouette in the distance.

"Mikan Island!" Misty jumped from her seated position, moving across Lapras' back to stand by her neck. "That's where the tournament is! That's where I'll win my next water symbol!"

"Settle down, Misty!" Ash laughed, standing up as well. "We know nothing of the competition you may face there."

"No matter." Misty shook her head. "I've lost the last Water Tournament, I'm not going to lose this one."

"That's the spirit!" Tracey added. "A bit of confidence can really help!"

"Yeah, but overconfidence can lead to downfall," Ash muttered.

"What was that?" Misty raised a questioning eyebrow while glaring at the young Pokémon Trainer.

"Nothing!" Ash nervously waved his hands in front of his face in defeat. "What was I thinking-of course, Misty, you'll do fine, you can't possibly lose."

"I'm not overconfident!" Misty shot back.

"We'll see." He lunged out of the way of the swing Misty threw.

* * *

A long time ago…

Red gasped when he entered the house; Misty wasn't kidding when she said her family owned a house near Cerulean City. Only it wasn't a house, but rather a mansion with a six-acre garden around it.

The place wasn't just large, but also beautiful. While the outside was lavish, with wide open fields and massive ponds, the inside seemed like pure gold by comparison. Truth be told, there was a lot of gold. It lined every painting, every photo along the walls of the foyer. The floors were made of marble, while a massive chandelier with specs of diamond hung from the ceiling. The place was made for a king, not the girl he assumed was a princess before him.

"What-how-when." Red's words seemed to jumble until they heard a loud pulsating sound from above, closely followed by a loud thud as something landed on the roof.

Red was about to grab one of his Poké Balls when Misty finally spoke up. "Oh! That must be Dad." Her excited face immediately morphed into a scowl. "He's home early though, I wasn't expecting him for a few more hours."

Red had a question on the tip of his tongue when a large double door opened on the other side of the foyer. "Misty?" Misty's father entered the room, a look of confusion on his face as he adjusted the well pressed black tie of his business suit.

"Daddy!" Misty lunged at her father, enveloping him in a hug before Red could get a good look at him.

"What're you doing back? I thought you were heading for the Seafoam Islands?" Her father pushed Misty away to have a good look at her, worry evident on his face.

"I was," Misty replied. "But then I ran into some trouble in Mt. Moon and had to come back."

"Well, I'm just glad you're home." He raised his eyes, looking over Misty's shoulder towards Red. "And who's this?"

It was the first time Red got a good look at Misty's father, and the first thing that came to mind was to never cross the man. His face showed a man who had lived many lives, gone on many adventures, and had done things he ultimately regretted. His face was scruffy, with a few scars around his chin and neck. But his face was also chiseled, like he'd been carved as a perfect specimen. Whoever he was, he was the embodiment of power, the embodiment of determination, and was willing to do anything to achieve his goals.

His eyes bored deeply into Red's. Red could almost feel the silent scrutiny he was receiving, and in that moment Red knew what type of man he wanted to be.

"Oh, that's Red," Misty explained nervously. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here now."

The man blinked, and the scrutiny was gone, replaced with a genuine smile. "Well then, I guess I should thank him." He walked passed his daughter, raising his hand to shake Red's. "It's nice to meet you, Red. I'm Mark. Mark Williams."

"The pleasure's mine, sir." Red spoke like his mother told him, grasping Mark's hand. "And might I add that you have a wonderful home."

Mark smiled, turning towards the foyer as he placed his hand on Red's upper back. "Why thank you. I'm sure Misty would love to show you around."

"Would I!" She jumped up and down in excitement before quickly rushing over to Red and pulling him away from her father.

As he was pulled away he felt a small tug on his hair. "Ow!" He placed his free hand on the back of his neck as he was pulled away.

Mark's smile immediately faded as Red and Misty departed the room. He looked at the hair he'd pulled from Red's head as his older daughter entered the room.

"Who was that, Dad?" Hannah questioned.

"Misty, and she brought a friend," Mark explained, grasping the strand of hair. He walked towards his daughter, handing her Red's hair. "Here, I need you to run a DNA test."

"Why?"

"Red is a nickname," Mark explained. "I want to know who he really is."

"Yes, Father." Hannah turned to leave when Mark place his hand on his shoulder.

"And, Hannah, keep the circle as tight as possible, I don't want anyone else knowing about this."

"Michelle then?" Hannah asked.

"Yes, she'll do. Take the hair to her and bring me the results as soon as possible," Mark replied.

Hannah turned to leave, making it just outside the foyer when she heard her father. "I expected one of my daughters to bring a boy home one day, just not this soon."

* * *

Present Day.

Ash and Misty knew that the Orange Islands weren't known for their Pokémon tournaments, but they never realised how small they were until they arrived on Mikan Island. Not only was the list of competitors small, the battlefield was in the smallest stadium they had ever seen.

There were barely enough seats for a few hundred spectators, and as Misty walked towards her side of the battlefield for her first battle she noted how empty the stadium was.

"This is a one-on-one battle between Misty Waterflower and James Mackenzie!" The local referee declared. "The winner will be declared when one of the Pokémon are unable to battle! Both Trainers flipped a coin before the match, with James to pick his Pokémon first!"

James threw his Poké Ball into the air upon the end of the announcement, releasing a Pokémon Misty had never seen before.

"What's that?" Ash leaned towards Tracey, while they sat in the stands. "It's not native to the Orange Islands is it?"

"Never seen it in these islands before," Tracey explained, shaking his head. "Most competitors in the Orange Islands aren't native to these islands. Generally, they come here for a vacation and end up entering tournaments, like this one."

Misty eyed the Pokémon up and down, trying to gage its strengths and weaknesses. Its small size suggested it wasn't very strong but looks could be deceiving. Its thick, blue, hind legs did, however, suggest it could move very fast. Its large yellow eyes, with black irises, made her think that it had strong senses.

 _Speed,_ Misty thought. _I'll need a mixture of speed and strength._ She threw her own Poké Ball into the air, releasing one of her more powerful Pokémon; Kabutops. The green bipedal Pokémon sharpened his grey scythes as he eyed off his blue, and white, quadricep opponent.

As if annoyed, Kabutops turned towards Misty, silently asking why he'd been sent out against such a weak opponent.

"Looks can be deceiving, ok?" Misty shot back, ordering her Pokémon to face their opponent.

"Begin!"

"Froakie, use Quick Attack!" James ordered. As quick as a flash, before even Kabutops could turn around, the frog-like Pokémon smashed its two white hands into the pre-historic Pokémon.

"Kabu?" Kabutops barely even flinched as the surprise attack hit him, sending a wave of fear through James and his Pokémon. "Tops!" he yelled as he swung his scythe. Froakie, however, was too quick; easily leaping out of the way of the incoming attack.

"Like I said, it's not strong, but it is fast," Misty explained. "If we can't get a shot in, it may overwhelm us eventually."

"Ka!" Kabutops nodded, agreeing with his trainer.

"Let's start off with Slash," Misty ordered. "Try and see if you can match it for speed." Kabutops raced across the battlefield, jumping over the small pool in the middle, before swinging his scythes at the Bubble Frog Pokémon.

Froakie remained too fast for the pre-historic Pokémon, easily dodging each incoming attack as it leapt around the battlefield.

"This isn't working," Misty muttered. "Kabutops can't match its speed. But he's faster when he uses certain attacks." While each scenario played out in Misty's mind, Froakie went on the offensive. It swung white fist after white fist at Kabutops when its trainer ordered it to use Pound.

Glancing back at the battle, Misty watched Froakie leap away after another volley of attacks. But as it leapt through the air, she realised it was the only time she could attack. "Kabutops, get in close with Slash again!"

Kabutops continued his barrage of slashes, with each attack easily dodged by the frog-like Pokémon. The pre-historic Pokémon was quickly becoming impatient when he suddenly heard Misty give him a strange order.

"Kabutops, it can't maneuver while in the air, so when it leaps high, surprise it with Aqua Jet!"

Kabutops lunged forward with one powerful swing of his scythe as they neared the pool in the centre. Froakie leapt over the pool, rising high into the air, giving Kabutops his chance. Following quickly, surrounded by a veil of water, he smashed into the frog-like Pokémon, knocking it back towards the ground.

Kabutops landed right next to Froakie, holding his right scythe close to its body as it began to glow green. Poking the Pokémon slightly, Kabutops absorbed Froakie's remaining energy; ending the match.

"Froakie is unable to battle! Kabutops and Misty are the winners!" the referee declared.

* * *

Many years ago…

"And this is where my sister and I hold our Gym Battles."

"Wait, you're a Gym Leader?" Red asked, peering around the small room with a large pool that extended from one end of the room to the other. "I thought Cerulean City didn't have a Gym, at least, not anymore."

"Technically, it doesn't." Misty Williams sullenly nodded. "My mother used to be the city's Gym Leader until she died. My sister and I decided to resurrect her dream. We hold secret battles for those who find us."

"Wouldn't that be unofficial though? Any battle won here wouldn't count when they make it to the Pokémon League."

"Yes and no," Misty explained. "The League allows us to hold them in secret until they make it official, when we're older."

"How?" Red questioned. "I thought Gym Leader's had to be at least fourteen."

"Helps when you have someone with a lot of influence, like my father." Misty shrugged.

"He must be powerful, indeed," Red muttered to himself. "To have all this."

"What was that?" Misty asked, concern on her face.

"Nothing!" Red quickly shot back, looking frantically around the room. "Could you show me where the phones are? I need to inform Professor Oak of what we discovered in Mount Moon."

"Sure!" Misty smiled again, grabbing Red by the arm. "It's this way, come on."

* * *

Present Day.

The second battle was a breeze for Misty as she advanced into the final round of the Mikan Island Water Tournament. Her Seadra easily defeated her opponent's Poliwhirl, and she was ready to face her final opponent.

Standing on the other side of the battlefield was a young girl with blonde hair. She had beautiful blue eyes with a look of determination Misty rarely saw.

"This is the final match between Misty Waterflower and Stacy Mackenzie!" Misty's eyes burst open. She recognised the resemblance to her previous opponent, but her hair colour was completely different.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she decided to focus on the Pokémon she'd chosen for the final match; Staryu. It was one of her strongest Pokémon, her first in fact. Many would argue that Starmie was, but that was a gift from her grandmother just before she died. Originally, Staryu belonged to her aunt, Misty Williams, who she learned she was named after, but for some reason it had never evolved.

Pulling out her Poké Ball, she flung it into the air as the referee asked them to release their Pokémon.

* * *

A long time ago…

"Hi, Professor!" Red greeted as the video phone whizzed to life. Appearing on the other side was a young Professor Oak, only in his mid-thirties, with short brown hair.

"Red! How's your journey going?" Professor Oak looked away for a second. "Gathering all the information I need?"

"Yes, Professor," Red acknowledged, holding up his Pokédex. "This device is great! But they only give me information of Pokémon I've captured, not the ones I come across."

"They're only a prototype, Red," Professor Oak explained. "Once you capture a Pokémon, it records certain information and sends it back to me for analysis. I spool the data and send back a detailed summary of the Pokémon you are then able to access. The more Pokémon you and the other holders capture, the more accurate the summary becomes. Once I have enough data on every Pokémon, I'll be able input them straight into the finished model to help young trainers when they first begin."

"I understand, Professor. Thanks for choosing me."

"No need to thank me, you're the one doing me a favour." Professor Oak waved his hand dismissively. "Now, what is it you called me about?"

"Oh… Right, that…" Red looked away, glancing at the young red head talking to one of her Pokémon. "I ran into a problem in Mt. Moon."

"What kind of problem?" Professor Oak furrowed his brow in concern.

"Well, I ran into this girl, Misty Williams," Red explained. "Her Gyarados had gone berserk and destroyed its Poké Ball. I managed to subdue it, and recapture it. She then explained that she'd been separated from her Pokémon inside Mt. Moon when they were attacked by a rampaging wild Pokémon. We travelled inside to investigate and ran into a crazy Rhydon. After we managed to stop it, we found a lab inside Mt. Moon where a group of people were conducting tests on the Pokémon using some strange rock they had dragged there."

"You sure they dragged it there?" Professor Oak asked. "There is a large rock in Mt. Moon known as the Moon Rock."

"It wasn't that, Professor, we passed the Moon Rock on our way out of the mountain."

"Oh, so what would you like me to do? Call the authorities?"

"No, we overheard them saying they'd be moving on soon, so there was no point, but I did manage to get a sample of the rock. I was wondering if you would be willing to look into it."

"Sure." Professor Oak smiled. "I'm happy to help."

"I also captured the Rhydon they were testing the rock's properties on." Red held up the Poké Ball in his hand. "It's still crazy, and so is Misty's Pokémon. She won't let me send her Pokémon to you as well, so I was hoping, with Rhydon's help, that you might be able to find a cure to whatever is affecting these Pokémon."

"Of course, Send the rock and Rhydon to me and I'll find out what's wrong." Professor Oak looked at another screen, before turning back to Red. "Where are you calling me from? My computer doesn't register the number as a Pokémon Centre, but I do recognise it."

"From Misty William's father's house," Red explained. If Red had been paying attention to Professor Oak's face, he would have noticed him visibly pale as he finished his last word.

"Just be careful, Red," Professor Oak warned, surprising the young boy. "Don't do anything stupid, and especially don't do anything bad towards Mark's daughters, you won't like what happens."

"Why? What's wrong with Misty's father?"

"He's very protective of them," Oak explained, his voice suddenly lowering. "Especially after what happened to his wife."

Red wasn't supposed to hear the last part, but he did. "What happened to his wife?"

"You don't need to know!" Professor Oak exclaimed louder than he would have liked. He quickly calmed himself, looking Red dead in the eye. "Look, send me what you've got, and I'll have a look into it, just don't stay any longer than you need to, ok?"

"Alright," Red replied, perplexed. "I talk to you later." The call abruptly ended, and Red turned to leave.

"What was that about?" Misty asked, coming up to him. "I heard yelling."

"Oh, that, it was nothing." Red waved it off casually, turning towards the door. "But I think it's time I leave, I need to be in..."

"Oh, no you don't." Misty blocked his path. "You're not leaving until you defeat me in a Pokémon Battle and claim your second badge."

Red sighed; he guessed he wasn't getting away any time soon.

* * *

A couple of days passed for ten-year old Red Ketchum and he could not believe he was being made to wear a stupid suit to some ball Misty's father was hosting. To make matters worse, he'd originally planned to remain in the guest bed room for the entire night, but when Misty invited him as her guest, the look her father gave him told him that he couldn't say "No." It was something about Mark that gave the impression that he always wanted his daughters to be happy.

To his surprise, the figures that showed up to the event were quite famous and important in not only the Pokémon League circles, but also the political realm. The guests ranged from famous Pokémon Trainers, the current, and former, Pokémon Champions and Elite Four Members, and the President and several senators of the Kanto Region. Even the Pokémon Master was there. But the one that truly shocked him was the presence of Eline Copperfield; the first Pokémon Master and hero of the Kanto Region during the great war.

In awe, Red found himself slowly drifting towards the woman. Compared to photos he saw in history class of a strong-willed leader commanding the armies of the Kanto region to an eventual victory against the forces of the Hoenn region, the woman in front of him was now old and frail. While she happily talked to other guests from her wheel chair, she had to wait for others to approach her. She could barely move from her position with the number of guests inside the hall.

Her hair had long turned from blonde to grey, and her skin was covered with more wrinkles than Red could count, but somehow her aura was incredibly strong, and she continued to demand the respect of the people around her. Even in her early nineties, Red was sure she would easily defeat any challenger she faced, as was her reputation.

"Ex-excuse me." Red had only ever been this nervous when he was in trouble but trying to talk to his idol was like trying to ask the prettiest girl you had ever met out on a date.

"How may I help you, young man." Eline turned towards Red with the brightest smile he had ever seen.

"If you don't mind, I would like to ask you a few questions about Pokémon Battling." He asked in the calmest voice he could, hoping to learn as much as he possibly could.

"Of course not, I'm always happy to help an aspiring Pokémon Trainer, like yourself. Ask away." The conversation continued from there, with Red asking question after question about Pokémon and battling, with Eline answering as best she could.

Red was surprised Eline was willing to pass on such information so freely during an event like the ball they were currently at, until he remembered one of her speeches in the following years after the great war. "The young are the future, and we must be willing nurture and guide them every way possible, so they never make the same mistakes we made."

Finally, Red asked a question that stumped Eline, perhaps it was because it had never been asked, or maybe she just thought it was an obvious answer. "You're considered the best Pokémon Trainer in the world, and the only one that has never been defeated, so is it true? Have you never lost a Pokémon Battle?"

Eline paused, trying to find the best way to answer the young boy. "That's not true at all, of course I've lost. How else could I have become as strong as I am without losing? If I won every match, I would never have been as driven as I was to become as strong as I am now. I would have become complacent and stopped battling under the idea that it wasn't worth it because I knew I would win. Everyone wants to win, everyone thinks that the only way you can improve is by winning, but that's wrong. Without losing, you don't learn the strengths and weaknesses of both yourself and your Pokémon, and you don't learn how to overcome them. Everyone sees the end result, but no one notices how you get there, remember that. You see me as a hero, as the greatest Pokémon Trainer that ever lived because I never lost to anyone in the years following the great war. But the truth is, when I was very young, I always lost. I lost so often that it almost got to the point where I was going to quit, but I didn't. If you want to be the best, you have to take the good with the bad, and learn as much as possible along the way."

"Thank you." Red nodded. He was about to continue when a flash of white caught his eye. Turning, he noticed Misty walk into the room in a beautiful gown, the white silk reflecting the light from the lights above them. Red thought she looked like a princess, and if he'd known what her father owned, he would have realised that she nearly was a princess, destined to rule over a kingdom and its wealth.

Looking around the room, Misty immediately raced over to Red once she found him. "Hey! There you are!" The smile on her face couldn't be wider, and Red knew it was because he was there. "I didn't know if you would come. You've been locked away in the guest room for the last couple of days."

"Yeah." Red laughed nervously. "I've been studying my Pokémon to prepare for our rematch. I didn't know your Pokémon were so strong."

"I've had a head start." Misty blushed. "I've been training my Pokémon since I was eight."

"Ahmm" Eline cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the two kids. "Young man, why don't you ask Misty here to a dance, I'm sure she'll love it."

"Oh, I guess." Red reluctantly turned towards Misty; he really didn't want to do that. He stuck out his hand, ready to ask her. "Would you li-"

"Yes!" Misty squealed, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the centre of the floor before he could even finish. As they walked away, he heard her call out over her shoulder. "Thanks, Grandma! I'll come talk to you later!"

 _Grandma!?_ Red's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets in surprise. _Just, who is this family?_ They quickly got into position, with Red remembering how to slow dance thanks to all the balls he'd had to go to with his mother, father, and sister.

The dance was calming, and the pure joy on Misty's face while they were dancing made it all worthwhile. Perhaps the night wouldn't be a complete waste after all.

* * *

Present Day.

Misty's Staryu squared off against Stacy's Ludicolo in a fierce battle. Water-type attacks did nothing, leaving Misty with the only option to attack physically. She repeatedly ordered her Pokémon to hit Ludicolo with rapid spin, knocking the Carefree Pokémon from pillar to post.

"Ludicolo, you're weak! When Staryu gets close, grab it and absorb its strength with Mega Drain!" Stacy ordered.

Ludicolo stood straight up and extended out its large green hands, grabbing the Starfish-like Pokémon. The Carefree Pokémon grimaced in pain after absorbing all the power of Staryu's attack to stop it.

Ludicolo's black eyes turned white as green energy appeared from its hands and surrounded Staryu. Slowly, Ludicolo was absorbing Staryu's energy, and Misty knew she had to do something quick. She knew Staryu had a broad range of attacks, most she'd never used because she was worried about their effects; she was only a relatively new trainer after all.

"Staryu, Minimize!" The order came quickly enough that her Pokémon had enough energy to escape. As its gem glowed it began to shrink between Ludicolo's hands, allowing it to fall freely to the ground.

Quickly flying back towards its trainer's end of the battlefield, Staryu returned to its normal size as it awaited its next order. "Now, Staryu, Power Gem!" Staryu's red gem glowed again before it launched a powerful pink beam of energy at Ludicolo.

Ludicolo couldn't move away in time; taking the full force of the attack. Even with its renewed strength the attack was too much; fainting as it fell over.

"Ludicolo is unable to battle!" the Referee declared. "Staryu and Misty Waterflower win the Mikan Island Water Tournament!"

"Yes!" Misty declared as she rushed over to her Pokémon. "You did great, Staryu!" She turned to thank her opponent, only to find she was gone.

The Referee quickly approached and presented her the tournaments Water Symbol.

"Congratulations!" He said.

"Thanks." Misty nodded, accepting the symbol. "I have two symbols now, only three to go!"

* * *

A long time ago…

Red stood on one end of the pool, clutching the Poké Ball of the Pokémon he was going to use.

"Are you ready?" Misty Williams asked from the other side.

"Yes." Red nodded. "Go, Bulbasaur!"

"Staryu! We have a challenger!" Misty called, throwing her Poké Ball into the air.

If either had noticed, they would have realised they were being watched. Just outside the room sat Eline, intrigued by the two trainers before her. "Let's see what they've got."

* * *

 **How will Ash go in his first Gym Battle? What will Professor Oak discover? What is Mark up to? Find Out Next Time!**

 **Ok, everyone, as you can see there are a lot of elements to the past that will transfer over into the present. I haven't explored Misty's family as much as I have Ash's, so this will be built on over this Arc and the next one. We've now met Misty's Grandfather and Great-Grandmother, as well as her Aunt. I've tried to make it as easy as possible to understand the past from the present so I hope it's okay.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)**  
 **Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)**  
 **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Wartortle (Water) (Male)**  
 **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)**  
 **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)**  
 **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)**  
 **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)**  
 **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)**  
 **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Raticate (Normal) (Female)**  
 **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Kingler (Water) (Female)**  
 **Absol (Dark) (Male)**  
 **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)**  
 **Muk (Poison) (Male)**  
 **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)**  
 **Sandslash (Ground) (Male)**  
 **Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)**  
 **Togepi (Fairy) (Male)**  
 **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	5. Chapter 5 - The First Trial

**Hey, everyone, here is the next chapter. This has been split into two parts due to the size of the segments in the past that occur.**

 ** **A special thanks to gio08 for being my Beta Reader, if anyone else would like to be one, just let me know!****

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 5 – The First Trial

"Do you have any more information?" Lance asked, scribbling down notes on his note pad as he scanned the scene. Someone had really done a number on the vault at Reeves Breeding, ripping off the vault door.

"No." Julien replied. "As I've shown you, the security cam footage was scrambled during the attack. Whoever did this knew what they were doing."

"Who else knows about this vault? It'll help me narrow the search."

"Only me and my security chief," Julien replied. "And I trust him with my life. I know how important this vault is, I'm not stupid enough to tell just anyone about it."

"Ok." Lance scribbled more notes on his pad. "I would like to talk to your security chief-just to be sure," he quickly added after reading the look Julien gave him.

"What about the G-Men?" Julien quickly retaliated, crossing his arms defensively. "We weren't the only ones who knew about it!"

"I know!" Lance countered. "I've already ordered all personnel who knew about it to report in. We'll be questioning them as well." Lance flipped the page of the pad. "One last thing. Had there been any change in the contents of the vault prior to the raid?"

"No." Julien shook his head. "Not a damn change in over ten years. The egg's lied dormant ever since we received it."

"Thanks, Julien," Lance said, turning towards the exit. "I'll let you know what we find."

"Wait!" Julien grabbed Lance by the shoulder, halting him. "May I ask; what was in the egg?"

"No one knows," Lance replied, ripping his shoulder from Julien's grasp. "The only person who did was Yellow because she was the one who received the egg from its parent Pokémon."

* * *

Ash, Misty and Tracey walked along the dirt path towards the local gym. But Ash wasn't as enthused as his friends; becoming more nervous the closer they were to the Mikan Gym.

"Ash, why are you worried?" Tracey questioned, reading the mannerisms of his new friend. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"It's, just, I'm not sure I'm ready to battle so soon." Ash replied.

"Battle?" Tracey raised his eyebrow questioningly. "You don't have to battle at this Gym, Ash."

"What?" Ash turned to face his friend. "What do you mean I don't have to battle? It's a Pokémon Gym, isn't it?"

"Yes, but the Orange Island Gyms do things differently," Tracey explained. "The first two gyms test your Pokémon's strength and skill through challenges. Win those challenges and you receive the badge. You only battle in the final two Gyms."

"Oh, sweet! I don't have to battle just yet, but I can still win the badge!" Ash raced off, heading straight for the Pokémon Gym with such excitement that Misty hadn't seen in a couple of months.

"I guess we better hurry." Misty shrugged, chasing after the boy. "We don't want to miss anything!"

"You're right!"

"Pika! Pika!"

* * *

long time ago…

Red held his four badges in his hand, happy to be halfway through the Kanto League Gym Circuit. _Only four more badges and I can challenge the Pokémon League!_ he gleefully thought. He waded his way through the large crowds of people all shopping in the busy business district of Celadon City, when suddenly he was bumped abruptly by someone passing him.

"Hey!" he called out, turning around to find that the person he'd bumped into was none other than Blue Oak. "Blue?" Blue didn't respond, continuing on as if he never heard him. "Blue, it's me, Red!" Red had finally had enough of being ignored, rushing up to his rival and grabbing him by the shoulder. "Hey! What's your problem Blue?" But the answer would never come as he looked into Blue's soulless eyes. "What's wrong?"

Blue didn't reply, instead summoning his Charmeleon. "Flamethrower!" The order was robotic, completely devoid of emotion.

Red expected his Charmeleon to ignore the order and was caught off guard as Charmeleon released a wave of flames unconditionally.

"Pika!" Red's Pikachu, Pika, appeared from its own Poké Ball and deflected the attack.

"Pika, Thunderbolt Charmeleon! But don't hurt him, I have to figure out what's going on!" A battle against his friend and rival in a crowded place was not what Red had in mind after just winning his fourth badge.

"Ignore the rat." Emotionless, cold, it was all Red could hear from the voice of his friend. "Target the kid."

Pika's thunderbolt hit Charmeleon before it could release its attack. But the yellow lightning wasn't enough to stop the Flame Pokémon, who unleashed a flurry of searing flames into the crowd around them as it twitched from the shock.

Red knew he had to end it quickly or someone would get seriously hurt, leaving him with only one choice. "Pika, target Blue with the lightest Thunder Shock you can manage. Only knock him out, ok?"

"Pika?" Pika looked at him confused; Red had never ordered any of his Pokémon to attack a human before.

"Just do it, ok? I don't like it either, but if we don't do something fast, a lot of people may get hurt." Red didn't like giving the order, but he knew something was off with Blue, and hopped a small jolt of electricity would bring him to his senses.

"Pikachu!" The bolt of lightning struck both human and Pokémon, knocking Blue out while Charmeleon continued to rampage.

As Blue collapsed, Red rushed over to his friend and grabbed Charmeleon's Poké Ball, returning it before it could do any more damage. Red looked as a crowd approached. "Someone! Call an ambulance!" Red ordered to the crowd, who were shocked to see two boys order their Pokémon to attack the other. Red quickly kneeled down to get a better look at the blue-eyed boy. "You'll be alright, I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Present Day.

Misty and Tracey arrived at the Gym just as Ash entered. They sucked in air as they followed a young spiky-haired boy and a young woman in a red knee length skirt through the confides of the building as they made their way towards the field where the challenge would commence.

"I'm Cissy, and this is my little brother, Senta," Cissy explained, reaching the main area of the Gym. "In this Gym, we specialise testing your Pokémon's accuracy and speed."

The Gym leader and her brother departed from the group and headed for the other side of the room.

"How will you test my Pokémon for accuracy?" Ash questioned.

"You'll see," Senta replied, pulling out a control device and pressing a button. Suddenly, one side of the room rose, revealing a hidden area behind lined with cans on top of a long bench.

"Oh, I understand!" Ash said, formulating a plan inside his head.

"It gets better, though," Senta added as he pressed another button on the device, causing the battlefield in front of them to retract, revealing a large swimming pool.

"Seadra! I choose you!" Cissy exclaimed, releasing her sea dragon into the water before anyone realised what was going on.

Ash was about to pull out his Pokédex when he heard Misty behind him. "Seriously, Ash! If you have to scan Seadra then you're dumber than I thought you were! I have one of those!"

"Oh, right." Ash nervously rubbed the back of his neck, giving his friend a sheepish smile before turning back towards the water. "So, what are the conditions of the test?"

"We'll start the match with a Water Gun Challenge," Cissy explained. "Trainer's will select the Pokémon which has the best Water Gun attack and they compete against each other to see who can knock over the most cans as quickly as possible. They compete like athletes do, using their skills head to head, one-on-one."

"You know, that seems kind of unfair!" Misty pointed out. "Sure, I love Water-type Pokémon, but not everyone has Water-types. You're limiting the number of people who can challenge you."

"Those are the rules, take it or leave it." Cissy shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll be fine," Ash said, grabbing one of his Poké Balls. _You don't have to battle, all you have to do is shoot the targets, so please help me._ "Wartortle, I choose you"

"Wartortle?" The Sea Turtle Pokémon looked around wearily, eventually turning to face his trainer.

"This is not a battle, ok," Ash consoled, kneeling down to talk to the Pokémon at his level. "You only have to shoot at the cans lined up over there." Ash pointed towards the cans. "Do you think you can do that?"

Wartortle looked between the row of cans and his trainer, endlessly swiveling his head as he came to a decision. "Wartortle!" He nodded.

"Thanks, buddy."

"I think I'll let my Seadra warm up first," Cissy interrupted, instructing her brother to release several bubbles into the air. "Seadra, Water Gun now!" Seadra released, successive, quick-fire bolts of water from its long blue snout, hitting each bubble with incredible precision.

"Looks like Ash and Wartortle have their work cut out for them," Misty whispered to Tracey.

"I need to make some observations," Tracey muttered, completely ignoring Misty as he frantically drew in his note book.

Peering over, Misty noticed that it wasn't an image of Seadra, but rather a drawing of Cissy, standing in the same position she was now. "Hey, just what is it you're observing?" But inside she was screaming; _Please don't be another Brock!_

* * *

A long time ago…

A young girl with long brown hair watched as Blue was placed into the ambulance with Red seated beside him. She waited for everyone to disperse before creeping towards the location where the two boys were previously.

She looked around, hoping to find anything the two kids may have dropped. Luck would be on her side as she found a weird metallic object on the ground. Crouching so she wouldn't get her black dress dirty, she picked up the metallic object as studied it.

It looked like a computer chip but had several spiny steel spikes sticking out of the rim. She noticed a small amount of blood on the spines but decided to ignore it in the hope it would be worth something. Placing it inside her light brown satchel bag, she skipped on her way, hopping to swindle whatever she could from amongst the crowd. _These fools are so easy, no one will think a kid's the one who has pick pocketed them._

Had she observed closely, though, she would have noticed the small flashing red light on the inside of the chip.

* * *

Present Day.

"Shall we begin?" It was a question, but a confident question.

"Yes." Ash nodded.

"Ready?" Senta asked, looking between both trainers. "Begin!"

"Seadra, Water Gun Now!" Cissy ordered. Seadra wasted no time, firing several shots towards the cans. Each attack hit the dead centre of each can. Not to be outdone, Wartortle quickly fired its own shots, matching Seadra for speed and accuracy.

As each can was knocked down, it became clear that it would be very close, and in the end both Pokémon knocked down the same number of cans. "It's a tie!" Cissy declared. She turned towards her opponent. "Not too bad, next we'll try moving targets."

"We can defeat whatever you throw at us!" Ash declared.

Cissy simply smirked. "We will see."

* * *

A long time ago…

"You're lucky we're not revoking your Trainer's license!" the Police Officer sternly warned Red as he interviewed him at the hospital. "It's illegal to hold a Pokémon battle in a crowded and public place, let alone order your Pokémon to attack a human!"

"I know, Officer," Red agreed, looking guiltily towards the ground. "But I didn't have any other choice. I didn't want to battle him, I was only defending myself! The only way I could stop his Pokémon was to knock him out and return his Pokémon forcefully."

"Several witnesses at the scene said the same thing, which is why neither you or your Pikachu are currently in lock up," the Officer explained. "But if this happens again, you may lose your Pokémon forever."

"I understand." Red looked down sadly; the thought of never seeing his Pokémon again nearly killed him inside and scared him half to hell. "I'll never do anything like that again."

The officer sighed, realising he'd pushed the kid too hard. "You're free to go. We're not pressing charges on either you or your friend."

"Thank you." Red looked up at the Officer, a tear nearly rolling down his eye. "May I see how my friend is going?"

"Sure, just ask reception."

"Thank you." Red sniffed, walking dejectedly away.

Shortly after a brief conversation with reception, Red found the room Blue was in. Entering it, he noticed a couple of devices hooked up to his unconscious form on the bed, with the rhythmic beeping of his heart in the back ground.

"He'll be fine, you know," a Nurse stated, entering the room to check on her patient. "We'll keep him here for a few days for observation, and if everything goes well he should be fine to leave."

"Thank you," Red smiled. "I need to inform his parents."

"No need." The Nurse shook her head. "I've already contacted Mr. and Mrs. Oak and apprised them of the situation." She inspected the machines and her patient for a few more seconds before turning to exit. "All clear, I'll leave you be, but visiting hours finish shortly.

"Thank you," Red repeated as the Nurse left. He turned back towards his friend and rival, studying his sleeping form. "I will find out what happened, Blue. You weren't yourself, and I want to know why."

* * *

Present Day.

Ash, Misty and Tracey followed Cissy and Senta to the wall that had retracted on the opposite side to the room with the cans, revealing the beach behind the Gym. "Well, Seadra, are you ready?"

"Seadra!" The Sea Dragon Pokémon nodded.

"Fire!"

"Ok!" Santa acknowledged, pressing another button on his device. A red disk suddenly launched from one side of the opening, with Seadra quickly reacting; firing a bolt of water that shattered the disk.

"Good shot," Misty muttered.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed.

"Yeah." Tracey sketched into his note book. "I'm trying to capture the exact moment Seadra fires it's shot."

"Triple!" Three red disks launched into the air, with Seadra easily dispatching all three. "Now let's see Wartortle match that," Cissy taunted.

"We'll sure try," Ash replied. "Are you ready Wartortle?"

"War, Tortle!" Wartortle nodded.

"Ok, Pull!"

"Seriously?" Misty deadpanned.

"What?" Ash turned towards his friend. "I've always wanted to say that ever since I saw skeet shooting at the Olympics!" Distracted, Ash failed to watch his Pokémon effortlessly destroy the first red disk. "Huh? Excellent job, Wartortle!"

"Wartortle!"

"You ready for the next one?" His Pokémon nodded. "Great! Now go for three!" Three red disks launched into the air, and while it was a more difficult shot, Wartortle effortlessly hit them. "Great work. Wartortle!"

"Pretty good," Cissy commended. "Now we'll both aim for the same target, and the first one to hit it, wins the match!"

"A quick draw contest, cool!" Ash replied.

"Everybody get ready, now," Senta warned. Both trainer's and their Pokémon waited patiently for the final red disk to be launched.

The disk was launched, and both Pokémon fired their attacks at the same time. In stunned silence, everyone watched as both attacks seemingly hit the red target at the same time.

"Well, which one, Tracey?" Misty asked, noticing Tracey was using binoculars to get a closer look.

"They hit at the same time," Tracey explained.

"It looked that way to me too," Cissy agreed. "So, this match is a draw."

"Ah," Ash sighed, picking up his Pokémon. "Great job, Wartortle, you really came through!"

"Wartortle!" His Pokémon excitedly declared, happy to be of use again.

"Now what do we do?" Senta questioned, approaching his sister.

"Don't worry, little brother," Cissy replied. "The way to break the tie is with a Pokémon Wave Ride!"

"Pokémon Wave Ride?" Ash questioned.

* * *

A long time ago…

Red returned to the scene, desperate to find anything he'd missed. He re-enacted the scene perfectly; clutching his four badges as he tried to determine the direction his friend was coming from and where he was going. But similar to earlier in the day, he bumped into someone, knocking them both to the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the young, brown-haired girl condescendingly warned, dusting herself off as she rose to her feet. "This dress isn't designed to be roughed up, you know!"

"So-sorry!" Red stuttered in shock. He rose to his feet as quickly as the girl did. "I didn't mean to!"

The girl huffed, clutching her brown satchel protectively as she made her way past the bow. "You should really be more careful!" The snarky remark stung Red, but he decided to continue on with his investigation.

Looking around, he walked back to the end of the street, ready to re-enact the scene again, when suddenly he realised something was off; his badges were missing. "My badges!" he exclaimed, returning to where he bumped into the girl.

He thought he would find them there, but to his shock, nothing was on the ground. "If they're not here then…" His eyes bulged in realisation. "That girl, she stole my badges!"

Forgetting his investigation, he raced off in the direction the girl headed. He looked down street after street, failing to capture a glimpse of her until, by some feverish luck, he saw her black dress flicker amongst the crowd.

"Hey! You!" he exclaimed. The girl turned, her blue eyes meeting his red. In a moment, she took off, darting down a deserted ally way.

Red chased her, desperate to get his badges back, but as the girl made it to the other end of the ally way, a white van pulled up. The side door opened, and three large men got out, grabbing the girl before she could stop.

"Hey! Let me go!" the girl resisted, kicking her legs.

"Hey!" Red didn't have enough time to reach them as the three men shoved the girl into the van.

Red heard one thing before the men closed the door and sped off. "The girl and the package are secure, on route to base."

* * *

 **What will happen to the girl? Will Red get his badges back? And will Ash win his first trial? Find Out Next Time!**

 **I'll be adding Tracey to the list below shortly.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)  
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	6. Chapter 6 - Trials Of Nature

**Hi, everyone, sorry for the delay, my life has become hectic in the last two months at work and at Uni.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 6 – Trials of Nature

Arriving through the international airport was rather an inconspicuous way for Lawrence the Third to gain access to the Orange Archipelago. He knew if he arrived in his Flying Palace he would draw unnecessary attention to himself, having long since been known as The Collector amongst the legal and illegal authorities of society.

He dusted off his grey suit and re-strapped his carryon bag over his shoulder as he departed with the rest of the first-class passengers, before making his way towards the arrivals lounge. Sure, he was being inconspicuous, but that didn't mean he was going to travel with the lower echelons of society.

He ordered a gin and tonic from the bar before making his way towards one of the many seats jutted around the lounge. He'd been instructed to wait there by a potential client who was very eager to use his large, but peculiar, range of talents.

Sitting down, he replayed the original message in his mind, wondering what his potential client would pay him to do. But he was suddenly pulled from his thoughts when the large television that hung nearby blared the screams from the crowd it showed.

Lawrence knew what it was for, but he didn't have much interest in such trivial matters as Pokémon Battles. Albeit, this was the be all and end all of competitions; the Tournament of Masters. What did pique his interest was the arrival of Charles Goodshow, the President of the Pokémon League, on the stage erected in the main stadium of the Indigo Plateau.

"We're gathered here today to commence the Tournament of Masters!" Charles blared, waving his hands a bit extravagantly as he spoke. "Every four years, the best Trainers in the world convene at single conference started by Kanto's very own Eline Copperfield! To compete, the Trainers must be at the top of their game, having acquired the Trainer Rank of Master! The Trainers before you have each competed and earned their place at this illustrious competition!"

The crowd screamed as the camera panned towards the Pokémon Trainers standing in the field. Lawrence recognised most of them, with the bulk being Champions, Elite-Four members, Elemental Masters, even some high-profile Gym Leaders and Co-ordinators were among them. But the one that caught Lawrence's eye was the dark-red haired individual standing quietly in the back.

"They will face off in full six-on-six battles, with the loser knocked out of the tournament!" The camera continued to move amongst the Trainers as Goodshow spoke. "And over the next few weeks, one of them will be crowned Tournament Master and have the privilege of facing off against the Pokémon Master for his title!"

Lawrence phased the noise from the television out at that moment as a young pretty waitress brought his drink to him. "Here you go, sir" she said, placing the gin and tonic on the table next to him. "And this is complements of the chef" She placed a plate down next to the drink, its contents covered by a silver pot lid. She winked before departing.

Lawrence warily removed the silver lid, revealing a small USB inside. Realising what he needed to do, he grabbed the one item he brought with him; his computer. He inserted the USB after starting up his computer. As the USB loaded itself, the screen turned black, with large white writing appearing on the screen.

'Greetings, Collector,' Lawrence read the text silently. 'We apologise for not meeting in person, but until we know we can trust you, we've decided to remain anonymous. To gain our trust, you must first complete a challenge. You are to steal the Vortex Stone; a rare artefact from the ancient city of Pokélantis. Currently it is being held in the Moro Island Museum of Art in a special exhibition showcasing the ancient history of Kanto and the Orange Archipelago. There is no time limit for this task, but don't take too long; you're not the only one vying for this contract. Good luck, and we hope to continue doing business with you.'

Lawrence paused, contemplating his next move until more text appeared on the screen. 'This device will self-destruct in twenty seconds.' Lawrence quickly ripped the USB out from his computer, placing it on the plate and quickly putting the silver lid over it. Suddenly, there was a small bang and a puff of smoke rose from beneath it. Lawrence didn't have time to worry about that though, instead rising to his feet. He had a lot to think about; especially who they'd also offered the contract to.

* * *

A long time ago…

"Why won't you listen to me?" Red pleaded, slamming his fist down on the counter at the local police station in Celadon City.

"Listen kid," the officer behind the counter warned. "Calm down, I won't take the attitude."

"But I've told you; a girl has been kidnapped!"

"A girl that only you saw. A girl that no one else has been able to identify, a girl that doesn't even exist in our database," the officer explained. "I can't issue a report without information on the person."

"I've described the person to you." Red sighed.

"How do I know you're telling the truth," the officer explained. "You are the kid involved in the Pokémon battle in the city square earlier today"

Red slouched over defeated; they'd been having the same argument for thirty minutes. Thirty minutes that could have been spent looking for the poor girl. "So, there's nothing you can do?"

The officer looked over the boy carefully. "I'm sorry, but if others come forward, we may be able to help."

"Fine." Red rose quickly, looking the officer sternly in the eye. "If you won't help me, then I'll just have to find her myself."

* * *

Present Day.

"Ok, Lapras, let's do this." Ash summoned his fastest swimmer, knowing it would be easier for Lapras to move through the ocean than any of his other water-type Pokémon.

"You ready, Blastoise?" Cissy questioned her own Pokémon. They were all standing on the edge of the beach overlooking the ocean. Behind them stood the Gym they'd just competed in.

"Blast!" her Pokémon declared.

"Alright." Cissy turned towards her opponent. "Let's start the race."

"Right." Ash nodded, turning towards Lapras. "Get out there and do your best." Lapras cheered in response.

"Well, get on." Cissy offered.

"Huh?" Ash looked at Cissy, only to find that she was no longer standing next to him, but rather seated atop Blastoise's shoulders.

"The trainer stands on the Pokémon in wave ride," Cissy explained.

"What?" Ash looked between his Pokémon and the ocean, considering his next move.

"If you fail to get on your Pokémon it's considered a forfeit," Cissy added as Blastoise entered the ocean.

"I'm not forfeiting!" Ash strongly declared, stomping his way towards the ocean determinedly. "We can do this, Lapras."

"Well you better hurry up; the starting line is right over there!" Cissy arrogantly stated, standing confidently atop her Pokémon.

"This will be really easy, Lapras, she doesn't know what she's in for."

* * *

A long time ago…

Red waded thoughtfully from one end of his room to the other inside the Pokémon Centre, it was nearly midnight and he was wondering where to begin. He could return to the crime scene, but the last time he did that he witnessed the kidnapping; there was nothing there he could gain.

He could follow the direction the van went, but Celadon was huge, and they could have turned down any side street; he'd just be wandering aimlessly. He could hack into the city's CCTV network, but he wasn't that smart.

Red, alas, was in a bit of a bind. _Maybe I should call Professor Oak, he may know what to do._ Red smiled at his thought, realising if the local authority figures wouldn't listen to him, maybe his own authority figure would be willing to help. Without a second thought he left the room, heading for the Centre's video phones.

The line for the phones was non-existent at such a late hour, allowing Red quickly call his mentor. "Hello?" Professor Oak greeted, rubbing his eyes tiredly; he didn't usually receive calls at this time of night.

"Hello, Professor, it's Red." Red waved sheepishly. "Sorry for waking up at such a time but I need your help.

"Red?" Professor Oak yawned. "Red!" his eyes burst open. "But you're supposed to be in the middle of the wilds just off Route Seven."

"What are you talking about, Professor? I'm right here, in Celadon City." This was confusing; why did Professor Oak think he was near Route Seven.

"Did you lose your Pokédex?" Professor Oak questioned.

"No," Red replied, grabbing his back-pack. "It's right he-" His Pokédex wasn't in there. "It's missing! How'd you know I didn't have my Pokédex?"

"Well, you see…" Professor Oak trailed off, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "The Pokédex is a prototype device and I wanted to keep track of them, so I put a GPS device in all of them."

"You've been spying on me?" Red felt offended. He suddenly didn't feel like he had that much freedom.

"No, not like that!" Professor Oak pleaded, desperately trying to defend himself. "I wanted to know where the device was at all times in case it was lost or stolen."

"Stolen…" Red let the word sink in. He quickly piqued up again, his eyes wide. "Where did you say the Pokédex was again?"

"Just off Route Seven," Oak explained. "I can give you the co-ordinates if you'd like."

"That would be much appreciated." Red smiled; it wasn't much to go off, but perhaps the girl had stolen more than just his Badges.

Professor Oak quickly disappeared off screen before reappearing with a piece of paper. "Weird, Blue was in the same location earlier this week."

Red suddenly felt more confident. "Don't worry, I'll find the Pokédex."

* * *

Present Day.

"Woah!" Ash immediately regretted being overconfident as he struggled to remain upright on Lapras' hard shell. _This is going to be harder than I first thought._

"You ready, Ash?" Cissy was waiting for him at the starting line, a smug smile on her face. "The race starts over here!"

Ash immediately knew he was in for a tough match; it was one thing to command a Pokémon from the side of the battlefield, where he could see almost everything, but another to be right beside your Pokémon during battle. "Over there, Lapras." He pointed towards the two large yellow buoys that signified the start.

"Right," Cissy started as Ash and Lapras arrived. "The race is simple; It will be a single lap around the buoy over there." She pointed towards the bowie floating further into the ocean. "The first one around it and back here, wins. However!" she quickly added. "If either of us fall off our Pokémon, we are immediately disqualified. Are you ready?"

"Yep!" Ash nodded, standing sideways on Lapras.

"Ok, Senta! You can fire the gun at any time!" Cissy said, directing her younger brother to initiate the race.

"Ready!" Senta called out before firing the starting pistol into the air. As the bang echoed into the air, Ash and Cissy took off aboard their Pokémon.

Neither faltered at the start as they began neck and neck. But Ash was struggling to keep his balance, limiting Lapras' speed. Cissy quickly gain an early lead, but as Ash regained his composure, he ordered his Pokémon to pick up and take the inside.

The manoeuvre was dangerous, cutting Cissy Off, and as they neared the buoy, they collided.

"Ahh!" Ash and Cissy gasped, trying to regain their footing. In the confusion, Cissy gained the lead as they passed the buoy.

"See you at the finish line, Ash!" Cissy yelled.

Placing his feet firmly on Lapras' back, Ash narrowed his eyes at his opponent. "You're faster than Blastoise, Lapras! I know you can do it!"

While Lapras would have been no match for Blastoise's speed on land, she was indeed faster than the Shellfish Pokémon over water. Quickly, Lapras caught up to her opponent, and Ash was about to order her to continue, when a sudden large wave appeared behind them.

Distracted by the wave, Ash failed to keep his composure as his Pokémon slowed down. He didn't know what to do, but it seemed his Pokémon did. Without even thinking, Lapras turned her head towards the flame, firing a beam of white ice that froze the incoming wave.

"That's an Ice Beam!" Ash gasped. But in the moment of distraction, Ash failed to see Cissy and Blastoise swim on ahead. Turning back towards the shore, Ash realised his mistake. Immediately he slouched down in defeat. "I can't get anything right." He groaned depressingly.

Lapras wailed, gaining Ash's attention. "Huh? What is it buddy?" He asked. Lapras, determined as ever, continued swimming towards shore. She wailed again, using her head to point towards herself and the shore, and then between herself and Ash. "Are you saying we can still win this? Ash questioned.

Lapras nodded, pointing between herself and him. "We can win this, if we work together?"

The sudden image of his father flooded into Ash's mind, the same phrase playing repeatedly; "We learned from our mistakes." But what mistakes was his father alluding to? A simple mistake of using an insubordinate Pokémon was an easy one to remedy, was there anything hidden in that brief phrase.

"We learned from our mistakes," Ash repeated to himself. "We…" His eyes widened as the realisation hit him. "We're a team, there's no 'You,' or 'I.' We're in this together, and if we lose, it's not one person's fault. We'll learn from _our_ mistakes." Ash looked at Cissy as they drew further away. "Look." Ash leaned closer to Lapras' head. "With your abilities and my strategic mind, we can still win this. Are you with me?"

Lapras wailed affirmatively, nodding her head. "Alright. We can't catch up by swimming, but if we could eliminate the water, and made the ground frictionless we could." Lapras looked at him confused; what was the boy thinking? "Now! Aim an Ice Beam straight to the shore!"

Realising what Ash intended, Lapras fired an Ice Beam along the waters surface, creating a frictionless solid she could glide across. "Ok, Lapras, let's get on top of the ice!"

Lapras wailed affirmatively, lunging onto the ice. Using her four flippers, she effortlessly glided towards the finish line. But even with the added boost, Ash didn't know if they would make it. Sure, they were gaining, and quickly, but Cissy may have gained enough distance beforehand.

On the shore, Misty, Tracey and Senta watched as the race came down to the wire. They could tell it was going to be a photo finish, and they hoped it would be their friend, or sister, that would win.

Ash and Cissy drew level as they neared the finish line. Both were determined as the other to win, pushing their Pokémon to go faster. But, as the laws of nature went, you were faster on ice than in water, and eventually, Ash and Lapras gained the lead, passing the finish line just in front of Cissy.

* * *

A long time ago…

The landscape was arid, dry, and with very few trees. It seemed the further Red walked from Route Seven, the more desolate the wilderness became. Feeling parched from the sun beaming down on him, he was glad he filled his bag up with supplies the night before.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the map and compass he took to guide him. He knew he wasn't far from where his Pokédex was, but he still didn't know what he would find when he reached his destination. The middle of nowhere felt like an odd place to flee to once you'd kidnapped someone, and he feared that he wasn't about to find some secret hideout, but rather a freshly dug grave.

Pulling out a Poké Ball once he believed he was close enough to his destination, he summoned his Growlithe. "I'm sorry, but I don't have anything for you to use to track, but do you think you can find anyone out here buddy?"

"Growl!" The Pokémon sniffed the area around him, searching for any signs of human life in the area. Quickly, the Pokémon picked up on something, and pointed towards the direction she smelt something.

Following his Pokémon, Red quickly found a well-travelled path on the arid ground. "I guess it's better than nothing. Thank you, Growlithe." The loyal Pokémon disappeared in a flash of red light.

Red followed the tracks, but the sun was finally beginning to take hold. Reaching for his water bottle, he placed the tip on his parched lips and took the smallest sip he could muster. _Not far now,_ he hoped.

Finally, as the sun started to dip beyond the horizon, a small, alien, structure appeared amongst the harsh gravel terrain. Red quickly spotted the white van next to the building, gauging the size of the building to the van. Based on its size, Red guessed that it had very few rooms. There were no windows and appeared to be only have a single entrance. The walls blended with its surround as it attempted to camouflage itself against the dirt around it. If Growlithe hadn't found the tracks, he probably would have walked right past the building without even noticing. Red sighed, coming to a stop a short distance from the place. He'd found where they'd taken the girl, but now he had to find a way to get inside… Without getting caught.

* * *

Present Day.

"That was great, Lapras!" Ash exclaimed as he dismounted his Pokémon after reaching the shore. "I knew you could do it!" He hugged his Pokémon tightly. "I knew we could do it!"

"Ash! Lapras!" Misty called as she, Tracey and Pikachu raced over. "You two were great! And using an Ice Beam to gain the upper hand, such a clever idea!"

"Yeah, well, we didn't together, didn't we Lapras?" He laughed. Lapras wailed in confirmation.

"It was pretty smart of you to use Lapras' Ice Beam to freeze the water," Cissy agreed as she approached. "It was a wonderful race. I can see why you made it so far in the Indigo League, and I bet you'll do pretty well in the Orange League too." She opened her palm, revealing a badge in her hands. "This is the Coral Eye Badge, of the Mikan Gym; proof that you won your match."

"Thank you," Ash accepted, taking the badge. "But it wasn't me alone. My Pokémon and I are in this together." He studied the badge, realising the badge looked like a pink clam shell, with a small blue gem stone in the middle.

"All of the Orange League Gyms will present you with a badge that looks like a shell," Cissy explained. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some important work to do." She nodded before departing with her brother.

"So, Ash what will we do now?" Misty asked.

"I think it's time I got back on the battling scene," Ash explained. "Tracey, when's the next Beginner's Rank Tournament?"

"There's a tournament on Mandarin Island North in a few weeks," Tracey. "You two may be able to raise your rank there?"

"Then to Mandarin Island North it is," Misty said. "But first, I think we should train our Pokémon."

"Agreed." Ash nodded.

* * *

A long time ago…

Red remained hidden behind one of the few bushes littered around the building, watching the only door he knew existed. So far no one had entered or emerged, and he was wondering if anyone was even in there. But the van was there, and he had to believe that the perpetrators were inside too.

Patience grew thin for the ten-year-old; he just wanted to act, but he knew acting rash would be suicide. His mother had taught him to be calm and collected under pressure; as would be expected of an Aura Guardian, but he still wanted to let his emotions take control. He wasn't an Aura Guardian yet, hell, he barely had any control over his powers; he couldn't even sense anything yet.

The debate raged on and on inside his head until he decided enough was enough. Rising from behind the bushes, he pulled out the Poké Ball of his strongest Pokémon and waltz towards the door. To his surprise the door was unlocked.

Opening it slowly, he peered inside. Oddly, the place felt homely. Inside was exactly like a normal house, with painted walls decorated with paintings and photos of a happy family. He continued inside, suddenly feeling like he was trespassing in a family home; that wouldn't go down well, especially with his recent run in with the law.

Swallowing nervously out of fear for his own future, he entered the kitchen. Something, suddenly, felt off. Compared to the front room, the kitchen seemed bare. Opening one of the draws slowly, where he thought he would find plates and bowls filled to the brim, he found nothing. He decided to investigate further, hoping to put his mind at ease in some way. He knew his badges were here, he knew his Pokédex was here, he knew she was here.

As he ventured down the main hallway, he unexpectedly heard voices further into the house. Following the voices, he came to a door at the end of the hallway. Opening it slowly, quietly, Red wandered into the empty room where he heard the voices coming from.

He knew he'd heard the voices, they weren't his imagination. Wandering around the rug in the centre of the room, he heard the voices directly beneath him. Confused, he grabbed the rug and pulled it aside.

Directly beneath the rug was a hidden door, and Red suddenly knew there was more to the building than just what he saw outside. Gripping the latch nervously, he slowly opened it, revealing a small wooden staircase.

Creeping slowly down the stair with a Poké Ball in hand, Red surveyed his surroundings. Only a few doors jutted out from the four walls around him. One end of the room had a slight hallway which led to locked door.

Right off that hallway was a door left slightly ajar with small amounts of light shining from it. Hearing voices come from the room, Red crept towards the door to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"The Evolutionary Project is on schedule," he heard a husky male voice say. "The genetic makeup of the Eevee has shown to be the most successful of all the test subjects. The egg heads believe they are close to creating a serum which will allow them to combine the genetic traits of all the Eevolutions into one and hope they will be able to transfer it onto other Pokémon."

"Good," Red heard a husky, yet feminine voice reply. "What about the control device, any updates on that?"

"As we know, the device works well for lower cognitive subjects, such as some type of Pokémon," the man explained. "With the most recent test, the control device worked as expected, but overloaded from the extensive pressure of controlling a higher level of cognitive thought.

"And what of the test subject?" the woman asked. "How did he fare?"

"Subject Eight-One-Three, commonly known as Blue Oak, showed considerable subordination when under the influence of the device, especially when confronted by a childhood friend of his identified as Red…" There was a long pause before the man continued. "No last name."

"Red, you say?" the woman's voice piqued as the young man himself peered inside. The light was coming from a large screen on one wall where a woman, who appeared to be in her early fifties, was projected towards the short haired man standing in front of the screen. "No other information?"

"None," the man replied. "Any information on the boy has been redacted. We believe he comes from Pallet Town only because he's mentioned in Master Oak's file."

"Interesting…" the woman pondered the new information, leaning back in the chair she was seated in. "I'll have to look into this."

"You don't want me-"

"No." the woman cut him off. "I want you to head to Saffron City. Silph Co. recently developed a microprocessor that may help with the overloading issue of the control device."

"Yes mam." The man nodded.

"And destroy the hideout," the woman quickly added. "Leave no traces of it behind."

"Understood." The man nodded again. "What would you like us to do with the girl? I believe she could be a good test subject."

"Dispose of her." The words were callous, and Red felt a shiver travel down his spine.

"Understood," the man repeated. "It will be done right away."

Red knew he had no time to waste, rushing quickly away from the door. But as he left, he heard the woman speak again. "Be quick, Giovanni, our client expects results soon."

"Understood, mother."

He raced towards the door at the end of the narrow hallway and opened it quickly. Inside he found the young girl who stole his stuff tied to a metal bench. "What are doing here?" the girl asked wearily.

"To rescue you," Red explained, loosening the ropes wrapped around her wrists. "And for my stuff you stole," he quickly admitted.

"Well, thank you." The girl smiled, sitting up quickly.

"Is this all your stuff?" Red asked, pointing towards the stuff littered next to her bag on the table near them.

"Yep, except for my Pokémon." The girl explained.

"Well, I guess we'll have to find them." Red smiled, helping the girl pack her things into the bag.

"We don't have to look far," the girl explained. "I watched them take them across the hall to a room on the other side of the building."

"Lead the way." Red gestured, quickly following the girl. "I'll cover us with my Pokémon until we get yours."

They made their way through the base a little louder than Red would have liked, but after quickly locating the girl's Pokémon, they found themselves at the stairs to the house above.

"Hey! You!" the girl climbed the stairs as Red turned to see the man he now knew as Giovanni reaching for the gun at his side.

"Move!" Red yelled, pushing the girl to climb faster. But her black dress was making it difficult, and Red narrowly dodged the first shots as they whizzed past head.

They made it to the top of the stairs, and Red told the girl to "run towards the exit," before closing the hatch behind them. He quickly summoned his Butterfree and ordered it to use its String Shot attack on the hatch.

With the hatch stuck, Red raced towards the front door, finding the girl waiting there for him. "The van's the only way we're getting out of here quick," Red explained. "But I don't know how to drive."

"Don't worry, I do," the girl replied. Red looked at her confused; she looked about the same age as himself.

"Growing up on the streets allows you to gain many traits," the girl explained.

"Great, let me guess, you know how to hotwire a car too?" Red didn't need a verbal answer as she just smiled.

"Come on!" the girl grabbed Red's hand, dragging him to the van. Luckily, the vehicle was unlocked, and they hopped into the front seats.

The girl ripped the bottom of the steering wheel off, revealing several wires. She began to start testing them when the door to the building slammed open. "Abra!" the girl quickly pulled a Poké Ball out of her bag. "Protect!"

Abra appeared inside the rear of the van, creating a clear barrier around it as the first shot rang out. With the bullet deflecting off the shield, Red turned towards the girl. "That won't hold them for long!"

"I know!" the girl replied, trying a different wire.

"Did you check the visor? Maybe they left the keys there?"

"Come on, that is so cliché!" the girl replied, leaning back in the chair exasperated. "No one is that dumb."

"Humour me."

"Fine!" The girl sighed, reaching for the visor. As she opened it, the keys fell into her lap. "You've got to be kidding me!" She looked incredulously at the keys.

"I guess they're that dumb." Red shrugged as the girl started the van. "Or, they thought no one would find them out in the middle of nowhere."

"Yeah, yeah," the girl dismissed as they sped away, the protective barrier never faulting as the moved out of range of their bullets.

"I'm Red," Red greeted once he believed they were safe.

The girl looked from the road to the boy and back. "Nice to meet you, Red, I'm Green."

"Interesting name," Red replied.

"So is Red," Green retaliated, looking the boy up and down. She sighed, returning her attention back towards the dirt road. "Look, for what's it's worth, I'm sorry I stole your stuff, but I'm glad I did, otherwise I think I might have ended up dead."

"It's alright." Red smiled. "I forgave you the second you were kidnapped."

"Your stuff still in the bag." Green gestured.

"Thanks," Red smiled, searching her bag for his things. He found his badges as well as the Pokédex. "Why'd they kidnap you?"

"You know that boy you fought in the street?"

"Yeah."

"Well, after you left, I found this device," Green explained. "That's what they wanted."

"Yeah, I overheard them mentioning it," Red acknowledged. "I think we should investigate it."

"Then where too?"

"Giovanni mentioned Saffron City, and something to do with Silph Co."

"Saffron City it is then," Green muttered, turning onto the highway that travelled alongside Route Seven.

* * *

 **What does the Collector have planned? How will Ash's first training session in a while go down? And what will happen in Saffron City? Find Out Next Time!**

 **Again, sorry for being away for so long, I've had to increase my work load at both Uni and Work as I've been moved from Production to Estimation and Designer and now into my own personal office. With my increased work hours and Uni, I'm effectively working a 60-70 hour week and don't have as much time to write. Please be patient, I plan to complete everything I start, and hope to finish this Arc by the end of the year.**

 **Review Reply:**

 **Guest: Hey good story so far, I hope you keep going as I enjoyed your last one as well this one you have a lot of good ideas.**

 **Reply: Thank you for your support!**

 **Review Reply End.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)  
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

At Oak's Ranch:

 **Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**

 **Brock's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Geodude (Rock/Ground) (Female)** **  
** **Onix (Rock/Ground) (Male)** **  
** **Zubat (Poison/Flying) (Female)** **  
** **Marowak (Ground) (Female) (Shiny)** **  
** **Vulpix (Fire) (Female)** **  
** **Kangaskhan (Normal) (Female)**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**  
 **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Honchkrow (Dark/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Magnemite (Electric/Steel)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Doduo (Normal/Flying) (Female)** **  
** **Exeggutor (Grass/Psychic) (Female)** **  
** **Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying) (Male)**


	7. Chapter 7 - A Duck's Day

**Hey, everyone, it's been a long time, but I've finally completed Uni! But that means works amped up. But it also means that I will have more time to write during the week as I don't have any homework anymore!**

 **I've completed my plan for this Arc and will be explaining how things will change from here on out at the bottom of this chapter.**

 **Also, I know they go to Mandarin Island North long before when this chapter takes place, but I decided to move the episodes around, so it would fit better.**

 **I'm also changing the way the past is set up with the present after several conversations. The first half of the chapter's will now be in the present, and if there is a past section, it will be in the second half of the chapter.  
**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7 – A Duck's Day

The sun shinned brightly on the beaches of Kinnow Island where Ash, Misty and Tracey were spending the day training. They'd spent a couple of weeks traveling around the lower islands of the Orange Archipelago before heading for Mandarin Island North, encountering many wonderous things, including the various environments Pokémon evolved in. Learning of these unique differences was important for them, especially when they met a traveling nurse Joy who looked after Pokémon without the usual equipment found at a Pokémon Centre.

But now, as Psyduck, Riolu, Togepi, and Pikachu, who was acting as babysitter for the two younger Pokémon, rested on Lapras' back, Ash and Misty were focused on practicing for the up and coming tournament.

"Ok, Seel, let's see what you've got!" Misty declared as the bluish-white furred pinniped Pokémon materialised on the beach.

"You too, Grubbin!" Ash summed, releasing his insectoid Pokémon. Clicking her two yellow mandibles together, she was happy to finally be battling. "Ladies first," Ash mocked, knowing Misty would say something similar.

"Why, thank you," Misty sarcastically replied, imitating flattery. "Seel, start off with an Ice Shard!" The shard of bluish ice formed in front of Seel's large red tongue and white tusks. But something was off, the attack wasn't building quickly, and appeared to almost be falling apart. "Launch it when you're ready!"

"Grubbin, when Seel launches the attack, move to your left and retaliate with String Shot to slow Seel down." This was training after all, Ash wouldn't order his Pokémon to attack until Misty's had attacked first, and vice versa.

"Launch!" Misty finally ordered. Seel did as she was commanded, launching the shard of ice, but as it rose from the ground, Misty could tell it would never reach its intended target.

Dropping short, the shard landed harmlessly a metre from Grubbin, who surprisingly hadn't moved. "Grubbin, String Shot!" Ash tried again, but nothing. Instead, Grubbin stood still as if she was still waiting for her first command.

Walking up to Grubbin in concern, Ash became worried that the little Larva Pokémon had a similar attitude problem as Rhydon. "What's wrong Grubbin?" Ash questioned. "Do you not want to fight?" But the determined look Grubbin had said otherwise. "I don't get it," Ash said to Misty and Tracey. "She looks like she wants to fight but isn't following my commands.

"Maybe it's something else," Tracey suggested. "Try ordering Grubbin in front of her."

Ash shrugged, turning back towards his Pokémon where he knew she would be able to see him. He pointed towards Seel. "String Shot!"

A length of silky string immediately shot forth towards Seel, who effortlessly dodged the attack at Misty's command.

"Alright! Now use Water Sport!" Misty ordered. Seel released a wave of water around herself, but again the power of the wave was weak, barely reaching halfway into the makeshift battlefield. Misty frowned at this, growing concerned.

"Electroweb!" Ash tried, but again Grubbin didn't move. Walking up in front of Grubbin again, Ash pointed towards Seel before mouthing his next command. "Electroweb!"

This time Grubbin did what she was asked, firing an electrified silk web at Seel, who failed to dodge the attack ensnared her.

Meanwhile, Tracey watched the battle with a thoughtful expression. "Interesting," he muttered, drawing the attention of Ash, who was celebrating the successful attack, and Misty, who was more concerned about her Pokémon.

"Huh? What's interesting?" Ash questioned, confused.

"You haven't noticed it, Ash, but as a Pokémon Watcher, I have," Tracey replied.

"Haven't noticed what?" Ash asked.

"That Grubbin only listens to your commands when she see you say them," Tracey explained, rising to his feet. He walked over to Ash and Grubbin, pulling out a tuning fork from his backpack. "I use this to test a Pokémon's hearing sensitivity when I'm studying them as a watcher."

Grabbing another piece of metal, he clanged the tuning fork against it right next to Grubbin. Ash, who was further away covered his ears slightly from the ringing sound, but Grubbin, who was much closer, didn't move.

"Just as I thought," Tracey declared, placing the tuning fork back in his back.

"Just as you thought what?" Ash asked, concerned.

"Grubbin's deaf, Ash," Tracey bluntly explained. "And Misty, Seel is physically strong, but she can't gather enough power for her special attacks."

"I know," Misty acknowledged, her face growing in concern.

"What do you mean, deaf?" Ash questioned.

"As in, Grubbin can't hear you, Ash," Tracey replied. "She seems to know what attack you're asking for, but she only followed your commands when she could see what you were asking her to do."

"Great! How am I supposed to battle with a Pokémon that can't hear my commands?"

"You'll just have to figure out a way." Tracey shrugged. "Perhaps if you train her well enough you could use gestures, or hand signals."

"But then she'd have to have one eye on me all the time." Ash groaned.

"It's a challenge, Ash, and maybe can you figure out a way to overcome it." Misty knew just which buttons to push; Ash would never back down from a challenge, especially one involving his Pokémon.

"I guess." Ash sighed. "This is going to take a while."

"PICACHU!" They were suddenly drawn from their conversation when Pikachu, atop Lapras' back with Riolu and Togepi arrived frantically on the beach.

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash questioned as the three Pokémon trainers raced over.

"Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu replied, pointing towards the empty part of Lapras' shell.

"Seems like something is missing, doesn't it," Tracey observed.

"Psyduck?" Misty suddenly questioned. "Oh no! My Psyduck is GONE!"

* * *

On the other end of the beach, just over a seawall, sat a young girl fishing in her boat. Her pick dress and blue hair flowing in the wind. Nearby, her Tentacruel searched the depths of the water. "It's awfully quiet today," she muttered, having had zero bites.

A series of bubbles rising from beneath the surface of the water suddenly drew her and her Pokémon's attention. Intrigue turned to confusion as Psyduck suddenly burst from the water flailing around in desperate panic. "Psy yi yi yi!" the poor duck-like Pokémon pleaded.

* * *

After searching far and wide, Lapras, Squirtle, Starmie, Seel, Feebas, and Tracey's Marill returned to shore, having failed to find the missing Pokémon. "No sign of Psyduck?" Misty questioned. The Pokémon shook their heads in response. Misty moaned sadly, looking down at the sand.

"Don't feel bad, you all did the best you could," Ash encouraged. "Lapras, take a rest." He returned his Pokémon, focusing on the situation at hand. "Besides, it can't be this easy to get rid of Psyduck."

Suddenly, Misty stormed angrily up to Ash. "What! We can't stop looking for Psyduck! We have to find him!"

"Geez, Misty, this sure is a big switch," Ash noted. "Since when did you start worrying so much about Psyduck?"

"What!" Misty retracted, trying to cover her true feelings. "I'm not worried, so-"

"It's love," Tracey cut in, smirking.

"Love?" Ash and Misty questioned, shocked.

"I think you hide your feelings through your anger," Tracey continued. "I think Psyduck is your favourite Pokémon."

"Fav-Favourite Pokémon?" Misty stammered, flustered. "No way!"

"Excuse me?" Tracey and Misty turned towards the voice, finding a young girl with blue hair rowing her boat into shore. "You wouldn't be looking for this?" She presented Psyduck to them as her Tentacruel held the Pokémon above the water.

"Psyduck!" Misty excitedly declared, noticing the Pokémon's tail was glowing.

* * *

"Thanks for rescuing my Psyduck for me," Misty thanked after the girl rowed to shore, patting her Pokémon once he was in her arms. "My names Misty, and these are my friends, Ash and Tracey."

"My name's Marina," the girl replied, leaning down to study Psyduck's tail. "I'm not sure, but from the way its tail's glowing, I'd say your Psyduck's getting ready to evolve."

"Evolve?" Ash question.

"A Pokémon trainer told me," Marina elaborated. "She said, sometimes before they evolve, a Psyduck's tail starts to glow pink."

"So, are you ready to evolve, Psyduck?" Misty asked.

"Duck?" Psyduck looked confused; he didn't know if he was ready to evolve.

"I guess Psyduck would evolve into a Golduck," Ash muttered, pulling out his Pokédex.

 **Golduck, the Duck Pokémon, and the evolved form of Psyduck. Golduck is very adept at using its webbed hands and feet, making it one of the fastest swimming Pokémon.**

"Wow, Golduck sounds like a really cool Pokémon, huh Misty?" Ash continued.

"Golduck is one of my very favourite Pokémon!" Misty and Marina declared, rushing right up to Ash.

"You sound like you really know a lot about water Pokémon, Marina," Misty noted.

"Well, that's because I'm a trainer and I specialise in water Pokémon," Marina admitted.

"Really? So am I!" Misty excitedly declared.

"No way, why didn't you say so!" Marina excitedly replied. "I just love the way water Pokémon and float and swim and dive and…" So, on and on they went, discussing every aspect they loved about Water-type Pokémon, while Ash and Tracey found themselves lulling in the back ground.

After a while, Ash grew restless of their continuous chatter. "Hey!" he interrupted. "Instead of showing off your personal lures, why don't you battle each other?"

"That's not a bad idea, Ash!" Misty agreed, packing away her lure, which had her head on it. "We can stand on the rocks and command our Pokémon in the water."

"Sure!" Marina smiled, making her way towards one of the rocks. "We can see which one of us is the better trainer!"

"That sure shut them up," Ash muttered.

"Thank you," Tracey joked.

"So, how about a three-on-three battle?" Marina asked.

"Ok!" Misty agreed. "It's time to let another Pokémon shine! Go Feebas!" Feebas' light-brown body shown in stark contrast to the blue ocean, with her blue fins the only part of her body barely visible.

"Oh, a Feebas!" Marina squealed. "I've always wanted one, so I could evolve it into a Milotic!"

"Well this one's mine!" Misty declared. "So, come on, show me what you got!"

"Well, I want to win this match, so I'm going to start off with something really cool! So, I choose you Tentacruel!" Marina pointed towards the battlefield, where her hulking jellyfish-like Pokémon jumped into from behind her.

"Begin!" Tracey quickly declared.

"Start off with a Tackle, Feebas!" Feebas swam towards the larger opponent, but Marina was way ahead of the young red-head.

"Tentacruel, Wrap attack!" Feebas was fast, but not fast enough for Tentacruel, who wrapped up the fish-like Pokémon in its tentacles. "I must admit, I may specialise in Water-type Pokémon, but I also specialise in non-water-type moves! Tentacruel, Giga Drain!"

"Feebas!" Misty squealed in concern. Her mind was racing, every possible outcome playing over and over in her head as Tentacruel's tentacles glowed, sucking Feebas strength from her. She knew Feebas wouldn't be able to continue, and Marina's comment played in her mind over and over again until she suddenly conjured a plan. "You're right, Marina, but my Pokémon know different type moves as well! Feebas, quick, Confuse Ray!"

With Feebas' last ounce of strength she opened her grimacing eyes, allowing them to glow. A sudden pulsating wave of energy hit Tentacruel, and while it didn't do any damage, it was enough to confuse Tentacruel to the degree that it let go of the young fish-like Pokémon.

Floating on her side, Feebas lied unconscious on top of the ocean's surface. "Return," Misty said, recalling her Pokémon. Without waiting, she pulled out her next Poké Ball and threw it into the air. "Starmie, Swift! Hit Tentacruel while it's confused!" Tiny little stars flew from Starmie's red gem, hitting Tentacruel in the head before it could react.

With a splash, Tentacruel collapsed into the water. "Nice work, Tentacruel, but you better take a rest." The red beam shot forth and encompassed the jellyfish-like Pokémon. "If you're using Starmie, then I guess I should use mine!" A similar looking purple starfish-like Pokémon with a red gem appeared in the water. "Starmie, Rapid Spin!"

Marina's Pokémon wasted no time going on the offensive; spinning rapidly as it flew towards Misty's Starmie. "Counter with Water Gun!"

"Into the Water, Starmie," Marina ordered before even Misty's Pokémon could react to its trainer's orders. Misty's Starmie's attack had no chance of hitting as Marina's Pokémon used its momentum from its attack to carve a path underwater towards Misty's Pokémon.

In shock, Misty's Starmie, who stood half outside the water, was suddenly knocked back into the rockface Misty stood on. "Starmie!" she yelled in concern.

But her Pokémon seemed only slightly fazed as it jumped back into the water with a mighty, "Hiya!"

Marina smirked as her own Pokémon appeared back next to her. "Our Starmie's are evenly matched, Misty, so this battle is going to come down to who knows how to use their Pokémon better."

Misty knew it was a dig at her battling skills, but she wasn't about to let herself be affected by it; she'd let too many people do it to her in the past. "Ok, then, show me what you've got!" Misty had an idea, but she had to let Marina's Pokémon get close again.

"One more Rapid Spin should do it!" Marina commanded as her Pokémon followed her orders, repeating the same attack again.

Misty didn't do anything as she waited for Marina's Pokémon to get close. Marina's Pokémon disappeared under the water again, but this time Misty noticed the ripple it left as it span underwater. "Now," Misty ordered as Marina's Pokémon drew near. "Rapid Spin into the air!"

Misty's Starmie rapidly spun into the air, avoiding the attack. But Marina's Pokémon was un able to stop again as it collided with the rockface. Taking her chance, Misty ordered a Swift attack followed by a Water Gun that both injured Marina's Pokémon and smashed it against the rockface again.

The resultant was Marina's Starmie's gem began to flash, indicating that it was unconscious. "Return," Marina muttered.

"You were overconfident, Marina!" Misty teased. "You assumed that I would figure out how to stop your Pokémon when it moved so fast through the water.

"I won't make that mistake again!" Marina retorted. "Now I think I'll use one of my strongest Pokémon!"

The light faded to reveal a duck-like Pokémon with a large pale bill and three hairs on its head. "Psyduck!" Marina's Pokémon declared as its yellow blubbery form appeared on the rockface next to its trainer.

"A Psyduck?" Misty questioned.

"Wow, that sure doesn't look like yours, Misty," Ash stated.

"Yeah, I forgot how tough a Psyduck can be," Tracey added. Quickly, they both realised their mistake when they earned the eerie from Misty. "That being said…" Tracey nervously added, before being cut off my Marina.

"I don't know how you raised that rubbery Psyduck of yours Misty, but now I'll show you how powerful a Psyduck can be if you train it the right way."

Misty growled, gritting her teeth to muffle her own anger. "Starmie, Water Gun!" she ordered without even waiting.

But Marina was onto this; with Misty having fallen straight into her trap. The strong burst of water flew towards her Pokémon, but she waited until the last moment to make her move. "Psyduck, Confusion!"

Psyduck didn't even respond, instead its eyes glowed blue as suddenly the gush of water changed direction above it head. Turning around, the rush of water raced towards its sender, smashing Starmie into the rockface before Misty could even react.

"Starmie," Misty groaned as she returned her unconscious Pokémon. "I guess you better have a rest."

"I guess Starmie isn't shining so brightly now," Marina stated as the red light engulfed Misty's Pokémon.

Marina was really starting to get on Misty's nerves, and if she didn't know any better, she would say Marina was really acting like a bitch.

"Hey," Marina continued, completely changing her demeanour back to her cheerful self. "Why don't we let our Psyduck battle?"

"Our Psyduck?" Misty questioned.

"A battle might be enough to make your Psyduck evolve," Tracey suggested.

"Tracey's right," Ash agreed.

"And Psyduck would become a Golduck," Misty added, looking at the last Poké Ball she had. "Yeah!" She excited exclaimed, throwing her Poké Ball into the air. "Go Psyduck!" But as the Poké Ball opened, nothing came out. Realising her mistake of throwing an empty Poké Ball, Misty rubbed her head nervously. "ahh, I guess that one was empty." Everyone nearly fell over, except for Misty, who continued to scratch her head. "Even great trainer's make mistakes."

"I don't think they make that kind," Ash muttered under his breath.

"Hey, Ash!" A moment of nervousness washed over Ash as he thought he'd been caught by Misty. "Hurry up and throw me Psyduck's Poké Ball!"

"Alright, alright!" Ash moaned, wandering over to where their bags were. "Always bossing me around!" But as he looked, he couldn't identify which Poké Ball was Psyduck's. "Which one's Psyduck's?"

"If you can't tell, just throw me my back pack and I'll find it!" Misty replied, annoyed.

"Fine!" Ash said, picking up her back. "Not like it will help that much! You couldn't identify which Poké was Psyduck's in first place!" He flung the bag, but it dropped short of Misty, who missed it as it splashed into the water.

"ASH!" Misty exclaimed. "THAT HAD ALL MY STUFF IN THERE!"

"Sorry," Ash apologised. "But you asked me to throw it."

"Yeah, to me! Not into the water!" Misty groaned, leaning down to pick up her bag. "Great, now I don't have a change of clothes," she muttered as she searched for her bag. "Hope I can find it." She latched onto her bag after feeling the blue strings. Pulling it, she felt it was heavier than before. As she pulled it out of the water, the blue form of Pokémon followed, with its head inside the bag. "Wah!"

"Is that?" Marina didn't even have a chance to continue as the head of the blue Pokémon sprung free from the bag, revealing a pale bill with a red gem on its forehead.

"It's a Golduck!" Misty and Marina exclaimed at the same time.

"That's weird, it evolved fast," Tracey observed.

Before anyone could react, Golduck jumped onto the edge of the rockface. "Golduck!" It signalled to Misty, who just gushed in response.

"What a cutie!" Misty ran towards Golduck, assuming that her Pokémon had evolved. "I can't believe you're mine!" she exclaimed, hugging the Pokémon.

"What a great Golduck!" Marina gushed. "I've never seen a Golduck as fine as that one!"

"Everyone used to say all kinds of bad things about Psyduck, but no one is going to say bad things now," Misty said. "Right, Golduck?"

"Golduck!" the Pokémon agreed, signalling a thumb up.

"The one that said most of those things was Misty," Ash noted.

"I told you, it's love," Tracey explained. "And Psyduck must have loved Misty back, which is why it evolved for her."

"Hmm," Ash mumbled, not too sure; something just felt off, like its aura was different.

"I just know we're going to make a great team!" Misty continued to hug Golduck enthusiastically. "Golducky…"

"Hey!" Marina interrupted. "How about we see what Golduck can do?"

"Yeah!" Misty agreed. "Let's see which one is stronger, your Psyduck, or my Golduck."

"This should be interesting," Marina added. "Go Psyduck, Confusion!" Psyduck's eyes glowed blue as it formed a large wave that raced towards Golduck.

"Go Golduck, ride that wave!" Golduck jumped into the air and took control of the wave using its own Confusion, turning it towards Psyduck. "Golduck listens to me!" Misty gushed.

Before the Pokémon could react, Psyduck had a huge wave crashing down on it. As the wave cleared, it revealed Marina's Psyduck was unconscious.

"Psyduck is unable to battle," Tracey declared. "Golduck is the winner!"

"Yay! You did it, Golduck!" Misty exclaimed as Golduck landed on the rockface, before continuing to show off with several poses.

"That was a great match, Misty," Marina complemented. "I can't wait to face you in a Water Tournament sometime soon."

"Thanks, Marina!" Misty replied. "But I was really lucky that Psyduck evolved when it did. Without Golduck I think you would have won."

"Not bad, Misty," Ash clapped. "Now how about you return your Pokémon and we have some dinner?"

"Ok, Golduck, why don't you take a rest in your Poké Ball." Misty grabbed her Poké Ball ready to return her Pokémon when suddenly the Poké Ball burst open, revealing Misty's dim-witted duck in all its glory. "Psyduck?"

"Psy?" Psyduck yawned, stretching out his tired limbs.

"Golduck." Golduck saluted Psyduck with a thumb up as Misty frantically approached the two Pokémon.

"But my Psyduck is a Golduck now!" she exclaimed, her head swivelling between the two Pokémon.

Suddenly, the group heard a group of young girls giggle off in the distance. Following the sound, Golduck raced off without a second thought, quickly jumping in front of the group with its various poses. The girls seemed very enamoured by the duck, who continued to show boat.

"That Golduck isn't yours," Marina stated. "It just likes to show off… for girls."

Misty looked down, depressed, and with a completely dejected voice, muttered. "It's just a Pokémon version of Brock."

* * *

Some time past before Misty would finally talk to the others, having sulked on the rocks for an hour. But she finally came to when Ash asked where Psyduck had been.

"Psyduck." The Pokémon imitated sleeping.

"Sounds like Psyduck was resting," Tracey noted. "In his Poké Ball."

"Psy!" the Pokémon nodded.

"But maybe now I'll get a Golduck anyway!" Misty interrupted, trying desperately to draw optimism and hope where there was none. "You said Psyduck's glowing tail meant it was going to evolve!"

"Ahh!" Marina nervously exclaimed. She turned away, hoping to avoid a confrontation as Tracey approached a now furious Misty, who directed her anger towards the older boy.

"Golduck sure had you fooled, huh Misty?"

Misty tried desperately to yell at Tracey but couldn't bring herself to do it as she sighed in defeat. "I guess so."

"You should be happy, Misty," Marina injected. "This proves you really are a great trainer."

"You're just saying that," Misty muttered dejectedly.

"You managed to command a fully evolved wild Pokémon, something very few people have been able to do," Marina continued.

"Yeah?" Misty smiled, realising she was right. "And if I can do that, imagine what I'll be able to do with my own Pokémon in the future!"

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Misty," Ash warned.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Misty directed towards Ash.

"Nothing." Ash nervously back up. "So, how about we have dinner." At that moment, his stomached growled. "As you can see, I'm starving!" he embarrassingly added.

Misty was about to retort when her own stomach growled. "I guess you're right. Hey, Marina, would you like to join us for dinner."

"Sure!" Marina nodded as the sun began to dip over the horizon. They quickly watched it disappear into the water from the beach. "It's been a long day."

"Well, it's been a long day for a certain duck."

* * *

A long time ago…

Red collapsed onto his bed inside the Pokémon Centre, his legs hanging over the edge. Sighing in boredom, he stared at the ceiling as Green returned, clutching her bag.

"Lunch!" She emptied the contents, allowing the fruit and snacks to scatter across the bed.

Red picked up an apple before looking sceptically at Green. "How'd you afford all this?"

"I couldn't." Green shrugged carelessly. "There's an open market towards the edge of town. No one ever pays attention to a girl like me."

"You stole the food!" Red looked incredulously at Green. "You shouldn't steal anything! I could've paid for it if you'd just as…"

"No!" Green determinedly declared. "I've lived on the streets my entire life, I don't need charity. I don't need someone buying things for me, especially not a man, or a boy in this case. I can look after myself."

"Fine!" Red threw his hands up in defeat; there was no point in arguing the same thing they'd gone backwards and forwards on for the past three weeks. Three weeks, Red realised, they'd been in Saffron City for three weeks without even a sniff of the man they encountered on Route Seven.

Day in, day out, they watched Silph Co., waiting for any sign of the criminals, but so far there was nothing. So long, they'd waited, that Red even had enough time to go and challenge the Gym in the city. "How much longer are we going to wait?" he asked.

"If you have somewhere more important to be, you can go," Green offered, gesturing towards the door. "No one's forcing you to stay."

Red sighed in response; they both knew he wasn't going to leave, especially after what they went through. "Alright." He rose to his feet. "I'm going down to the cafeteria for lunch. You can enjoy the proceeds of crime in peace."

"Will do!" Green smiled as Red left, unfazed by the snide remark.

* * *

The cafeteria was surprisingly deserted for noon, midday, and Red waded easily past the many choices the Pokémon Centre had to offer. After he paid for his lunch, he sat at one of the many empty tables. Still, the uneasiness of the eerily quiet cafeteria didn't faze him as he took his first bite.

He was halfway through his lunch when someone else finally entered. He gave the person no bother, not even looking as they collected their own lunch. It wasn't until the person walked up to him that he got a good look at them. The red hair immediately clouded his mind as the person exclaimed his name.

"Red!" Misty Williams sat down next to him. "I didn't expect to see you here! How have you been?"

"Good," Red replied, smiling. "How are you? How's Gyarados?"

"I'm good, and Gyarados is doing better, but he's grown a bit weak because I haven't been battling with him since Mount Moon," Misty explained.

"I could train him if you'd like?" Red offered. "I have a Kingler that I've been meaning to teach Surf, so I can continue my travels."

"Gyarados knows Surf!" Misty explained. "How about a trade? I teach Kingler how to surf and you train my Gyarados?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Red agreed. "I'll just contact Professor Oak to have my Pokémon transferred here." Red rose quietly after finishing his lunch, heading for the video phones.

* * *

"Hello, Red!" Professor Oak happily exclaimed. "How have you been?"

"Gee, you seem awfully happy, Professor," Red observed.

"Well, Blue was released from hospital," Professor Oak explained. "He's been given a clean bill of health and is free to continue on in his Pokémon journey!"

"That's great!" Red smiled. "I'm glad he's ok. If you don't mind me asking, where is he heading?"

"He's heading to Saffron City to meet up with you, I believe," Oak explained. "He said something about wanting to talk to you personally."

"Oh, ok." Red hadn't expected that. "I guess I'll see him when he gets here… Anyway, I'm calling to see if I can get one of my Pokémon transferred to me."

"Sure, which one would you like?"

"Could you please send me Kingler?"

"Done!" The transfer device whizzed as the Poké Ball Red placed in the device disappeared, replaced by a similar looking Poké Ball. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Actually," Red continued, placing Kingler's Poké Ball onto his belt. "I ran into Misty here. She said Gyarados was better. I'm wondering what you found about the rock I sent you?"

"Oh, yes, I had a good long talk with Misty about that a week ago," Oak eluded. "It appears that the rock contains properties that were giving off some kind of energy that would increase a Pokémon's power when they came into contact with it, resulting in increased strength, stamina, speed, attack and defence. But if a Pokémon encountered to much of it, it would go into a state of psychosis, which is what happened to the Rhydon and Misty's Gyarados."

"Is there a cure?"

"You don't need to worry about that," Oak explained. "The properties inside the rock have broken down over time, eliminating the effects."

"So, you're saying that Gyarados and Rhydon will return to normal over time?"

"Yes." Oak nodded. "I detected the same decay rate of the energy inside Rhydon, and she has since come down from her heightened state."

"That's good." Red sighed.

"But what's most perplexing," Oak continued. "Is that the decay rate happened so fast I can't figure out how any such material would be able to hold the properties for such a long time."

"What are you talking about, Professor?"

"The rock, it's consistent with archaeological digs of ancient ruins," Oak explained. "The rock is most likely from a collapsed wall or roof from one of Kanto's ancient cities."

"The core of the boulder we found had been removed," Red explained. "The rock is from that boulder."

"Then perhaps whatever was in the core is what caused the change," Oak concluded. "There appeared to be a distinct pattern in the way the energy decayed. If you ever find this core, I would love to examine it."

"Will do." Red nodded. "Thank you for transferring my Pokémon. Bye!"

"Good bye, Red!"

* * *

Red returned to Misty, who was waiting patiently at the transfer station. "So, you get Kingler?"

"Yep!" Red nodded. "You ready to trade?"

"Your Kingler, for my Gyarados," Misty replied. "This is only temporary, until I teach Kingler Surf."

"Yep." Red nodded again. They placed their Poké Ball onto the machine and traded their Pokémon. "So," Red continued after the trade was done. "What are doing in Saffron City?"

"My father works here," Misty explained. "I was just coming to visit him. His job takes most of his time, so he's really busy and doesn't have time to return to Cerulean City to visit my sister and I all that often."

"Oh." Red could relate; his mother barely had time for him as he was growing up. "Do you want to hang out or…"

"I'm sorry," Misty cut him off. "I would love to, but I have to meet my father soon."

"Ok, I guess I'll be seeing you around?"

"Sure! If you're here tomorrow, I should be available," Misty explained.

"I'll keep a note of it."

* * *

Giovanni was a patient man. He'd wait months without making a single move if he was ordered to, but something just didn't feel right about the current situation. Following his orders after Red and Green escaped, he tracked down the van in Saffron City, abandoned, and with no sight of the two kids.

His mother wasn't pleased that he'd let them escape, yet, when was ever pleased. Now he'd been ordered to wait for what his mother called "the ideal image of Team Rocket." Giovanni knew who she was referring to, but he yet wasn't ready to confront them.

Suddenly, the door to their operations based opened, and in walked the most beautiful woman he knew he would ever lay eyes on but knew they could never be together; his mother would make sure of that.

"Giovanni," the woman spoke calmly, placing the small metallic case on the table in front of them. "It's been too long."

"Too long indeed," Giovanni remained calm. "I presume you know why you're here?"

"I know why I'm here," the woman shot back, opening the case, revealing a multi-coloured stone. "You just keep them distracted."

"It is pretty." Giovanni extended his hand towards the stone. "I wonder if it can do what they say-" The woman slammed the case shut before Giovanni could touch it.

"I spent a year in the ocean looking for this thing," she said. "Only I can touch the stone, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, you certainly do."

"Good," the woman smiled, brushing her long purple hair from her face. "Madam Boss wants an update on the 'kid' situation."

"She will get an update when I have one," Giovanni angrily replied.

"So, I presume you haven't found them?" She quirked an eyebrow, smirking.

"We located the van, but they'd abandoned it," Giovanni explained. "Saffron is too large to locate two kids in."

"No matter," she shrugged it off. "We have more important business to deal with."

"Then why did you ask?"

"To see you squirm," she replied. "Madam Boss is more concerned with this stone and Silph Co. than the two kids who escaped."

"So, we move out soon," Giovanni concluded. "Shall we go over the details?"

"We shall, if only to make sure you know what to do," she quipped.

"You love making my life hell, don't you, Miyamoto?"

"Only for you, Giovanni, only for you."

* * *

 **What will Happen at Silph Co.? How will Ash and Misty fare in the Tournament? Find Out Next Time!**

 **So, as I said above, I've completed the plan for this Arc, and have already started on the plan for the next one. With that, will come some changes. I will no longer being doing direct episodes, kind of like how this one was, but will be doing my own story once this Arc is through. I will still keep the main episodes (Movies, Gym Battles, Major Story Arcs with my own twist, etc,) but I want to focus on the world I'm developing instead of the world that has already been created. This Arc will act largely as a set up to that. If this is not what some of you wanted, I apologise, but I feel my best work is when I'm writing my own ideas within this.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)  
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:  
**

 **Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Seel (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Feebas (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Seaking (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Staryu (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)** **  
** **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	8. Chapter 8 - Honour-Bound Duty

**Hey Everyone, the next chapter is finally here! I don't know how many times I started this chapter and then scraped it because I didn't like where it was heading.**

 **Finally, I decided to focus on neither of the main characters and instead focus on one of my OCs. It made the chapter a hell of a lot more fun than just writing battles. And, I still managed to incorporate the Arc's theme of learning how to be a better trainer.**

 **Just a warning for swearing if anyone doesn't really like it, but it does occur in this chapter a few times.**

 **Another note; I don't know if I explained it already, but Pokémon on hand represents when they are out in the wilderness. During tournaments such as the one here, the characters can switch out any Pokémon they like.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 8 – Honour-Bound Duty

Elisabeth brushed her long brown hair away from her face as she registered for the Mandarin Island North tournament. Never one to be tardy, she found herself first in line as registrations opened. It also gave her the chance to evaluate the competition as they arrived, as well as keep an eye out for her objective.

She knew he was here, at least that was what she had been told, and so she awaited his arrival. One by one young trainers filtered in, entering their name before departing. Some older trainers arrived to enter, but she paid them no thought, knowing that Pokémon training could be taken up by young and old. While it seemed odd that some trainers in their early twenties, thirties, and even fifties, would be challenging predominantly ten- and eleven-year old's, she herself would be considered somewhat of an outcast given her own age. Sure, she was only thirteen-she'd celebrated her birthday quote recently-but even then, anyone older than her was a rare sight.

She sat down with a glass of water from one of the stadium's food outlets. She was offered a free coffee, but she didn't like coffee, or any stimulant for that matter; she felt that it caused her to lose focus. She sat there, watching trainer after trainer go by, when finally, after waiting what seemed like days, her objective arrived; Ash Ketchum.

"Damn it, Ash, we're late!" Misty whined, dragging the young boy through the doors of the stadium foyer. "Registration will be closing soon."

"Sorry," Ash apologised. "I was trying to get Riolu to use that new move I've been teaching him."

"Looks like they're still open," Misty noted, ignoring Ash's apology. "So, come on, we don't what to miss our chance."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I've been looking forward to this all week!"

Elisabeth watched as the two young trainers made their way towards the reception desk as she had done a few hours earlier. She mentally checked everything was in place; she'd spent hours going through every possibility, but she didn't know if her plan would work.

* * *

A few hours had passed when Elizabeth sat down in the stadium's cafeteria. She'd already won her first two matches easily-far too easily if you asked her-and everything appeared to be progressing as planned.

The two trainers hadn't recognised her yet, and she hadn't figured out a way to get over that hurdle. She couldn't just walk up to them and say "Hi, remember me? I'm the girl that you faced in Lavender Town and then helped you against Team Rocket at that Lab near the Safari Zone in Kanto!" Quite frankly, it was too straight forward.

No, it was better to let them approach the subject, if they recognised her. Sure, her hair was different, but that shouldn't stop them. Perhaps it'd been too long? Six months had passed since their last encounter. They probably thought she was locked in some prison, not entering the local battling circuit in the Orange Archipelago; free and clear of any authorities.

But alas, she still had plenty of time, and a few more rounds before the tournament was over. But she knew she'd have to make her move soon however, or let this chance go begging. And if there was one thing she hated more than failure, it was the punishment she'd receive from her master for failing such a simple task.

Her fear, or trepidation, turned to anger and annoyance when her partner, Simeon, sat down next to her. Not that you would see it, but Simeon was a massive ass, or at least, that what Elisabeth liked to tell herself.

Once upon a time she looked up to the boy, perhaps even considered him a brother, before his pilgrimage of course. Now she saw him as an egotistical jerk who liked to think he knew it all and would try to put Elisabeth down every chance he got. "When you have your pilgrimage, you'll understand," was his common reply to most things. But Elisabeth saw straight through it, realising he said that when he knew nothing.

"What do you want?" She asked him bluntly, annoyingly through gritted teeth. "You know you're not supposed to be here? This area is for competitors only."

"I know." He shrugged, moving his long, shoulder length, blue hair. "But that hasn't stopped me in the past."

"I get it. What do you want?" She wasn't in the mood for a conversation, she needed to focus on her mission.

"I'm just seeing how everything's going?" he replied. "Making sure everything's set."

"Of course, it is! You think I can't plan a mission?" If her anger grew anymore she'd explode; how dare he question _her_ decisions on _her_ mission.

"I didn't say that." Simeon replied. "As you know, it's best for everyone to be on the same page during an operation. I was only asking if you'd made contact yet?"

"Unfortunately, no," she sternly replied. "And I'm sure you're loving every minute of it."

"My personal opinions aside, you were chosen to lead this mission," Simeon retorted. "And the only reason I'm here it because of that stupid rule the League recently introduced. Someone had to babysit you, and for what ever reason, the Master chose me. So, if you fail, I fail. You see; it's in my best interest for you to succeed."

"It certainly didn't seem like that earlier," she stated.

"I had some time to meditate over it," Simeon replied, his focus drawn elsewhere.

Elisabeth followed his eyes, turning towards the entrance to the cafeteria where she saw the fiery red-headed girl, Misty, enter the room. She must have just won her last match and had entered the cafeteria for a break.

"Don't worry, I think I know just how to get her attention," Simeon stated.

Elisabeth didn't know what he meant when she suddenly found herself in a very uncomfortable and compromising position. Her face was mere millimetres from Simeon's and to the outside observer it would look like they were kissing.

While she hated the closeness, it was the next thing that came out of his mouth that made her boil over. "Your mother was a whore."

She immediately pushed him away. "HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, slamming her hand across his face in a slap that rang across the room.

Simeon seemed unfazed, however, instead glancing around the room before muttering "Good job."

Elisabeth followed his gaze, realising everyone was looking at them. There was no noise, but the silence was deafening for Elisabeth as her cheeks flared in embarrassment. She wanted to disappear after such a moment, but everyone's gaze changed towards Simeon as he silently left.

Quickly, the room fell into normality as the trainers talked amongst themselves again. But Elisabeth realised that one person still had their eyes on her, and that they were slowly making their way towards her.

"Are you alright?" Misty asked as she approached.

"Um, yes, thank you, I'm fine," Elisabeth replied hurriedly. Simeon's plan had worked, much to her annoyance.

"Are you sure?" Misty questioned again, concern evident in her voice. "You should report him."

Under normal circumstances Elisabeth would have been annoyed that someone had come to talk to her after such an embarrassing moment. "No. No, everything's fine." Elisabeth gave the best smile she could, trying to convince the red-head that everything was alright. Truth be told, she would love nothing more than to report her partner-see him rot in jail for a little while-but that would compromise the mission, and the mission came first.

"Oh, um, okay." Misty didn't know what to do; she'd expected the girl to agree with her. Awkwardly, she looked around for a spot to sit, but her attention was quickly brought back to the young girl sitting in front of her.

"Why don't you sit down, I'd enjoy the company," Elisabeth offered, hoping to continue the conversation. "These tournaments can be really boring if you don't have someone to talk to."

"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude."

 _Like you weren't when you came to ask how I was?_ Elisabeth thought. "It's not a problem at all," she offered.

Misty tentatively sat down in the vacant seat, trying to figure out what to say. "So… How'd you go in your last round?" She tried.

"Good, I'd assume, I'm still here, aren't I?" Elisabeth gestured around the room.

"I guess…" Misty looked away nervously; embarrassed for asking such a stupid question.

Elisabeth quickly realised she needed to change her tune, or she would lose Misty. "So, how'd you go in the last round? I mean, how hard was the battle for you?"

"Quite easy actually," Misty admitted. "I'm not trying to brag, but the first few rounds have been quite easy for my friend and I."

"The boy you're with, Ash, right?"

Misty eyed Elisabeth with suspicion, worrying the young girl that she'd shown too much of her hand. Suddenly, Misty's eyes widened, and Elisabeth noticed the look of realisation cross Misty's face.

"I thought you seemed familiar!" Misty blurted a little louder than she would have liked. "You're the girl from that lab near the Safari Zone. You were there when Team Rocket attacked Lavender Town! Last I remember, you were locked up in some prison. How'd you get out?"

"If you must know," Elisabeth responded nonchalantly. "Because I helped you at that lab, and because I gave the authorities information, they let me out, gave me a knew identity and let me on my merry way."

"So, you were released?" Misty questioned. "You didn't escape?"

"God no." Elisabeth sniggered. "Do you think I would be entering an official tournament if I'd escaped. My photo would be in every database known to man. They'd pick me up the second I registered for the tournament, even if I had the chance to somehow get an official Trainer Licence."

"Sorry," Misty replied, lowering her voice. "I don't mean to judge, but we didn't exactly have good experiences in the past." She straightened up and sighed before looking at Elisabeth again. "We got off on the wrong foot." She extended her hand. "I'm Misty."

"Elisabeth," Elisabeth replied, shaking Misty's hand. "But most people call me Grace."

The conversation continued as they two girls got to know each other. Misty talked about the problems she was having with her Seel, all the while Elisabeth tried to give tips that could help her.

They'd been talking for so long, that when the chime that signified the end of the round occurred, they both looked at the screen on the other side of the room.

Eight boxes appeared with lines spreading out to join where only four boxes remained. The screen repeated the process until the lines finally converged at one box. Misty realised it was the fixture for the rest of the tournament. Quickly, the names of the remaining contestants appeared inside the first eight boxes. Misty knew she was through to the final eight, but she was yet unaware of Ash's fate. So, when his name appeared in the last slot, she sighed in relief that her friend had made it to the next round.

After studying the fixture, Elisabeth and Misty looked at each other, coming to the same conclusion; if they both won their next matches, they would face each other in the next round.

"Would Ash Ketchum and Dave Underwood please make their way to the battlefield!" The speaker blared inside the room. Ash wasn't there, she knew he was probably somewhere preparing his next Pokémon, she only hoped he hadn't strayed too far.

* * *

Elisabeth tentatively waded her way through halls of the stadium, following Misty in her quest to find seats for the next battle. She couldn't understand how determined Misty was to watch her friend. Weren't they rivals right now?

When they finally sat down, Elisabeth noticed the absence of a certain Pokémon watcher she knew had been travelling with Ash and Misty for the last few weeks. She would have brought it up, but she had to appear to know nothing about the current predicament. There was one question she could ask, however.

"So, where's your friend? Brock, I think was his name." She played dumb, she knew exactly where he was.

"He's no longer travelling with us," Misty explained, watching the battlefield intently as she waited for her friend to enter. "He's got an internship with a breeding company."

"Oh, that's nice for him." Elisabeth gave the most convincing smile she could before continuing. "Then who are you travelling with? You have to have a babysitter, don't you?"

Misty smirked at the jibe towards the Pokémon League, stifling a laugh as she composed herself. It wasn't the first time she'd heard someone ridicule the new rule, but it was certainly the most inventive way she'd heard someone describing their new travelling companion.

"Yes, we do have a 'babysitter' as it were." Misty air quoted. "But he's not here right now. He had some errands to run in the city. Wouldn't tell me what it was about though."

"Well, that's too bad. I thought he would be here cheering you both on."

"You'd think." Misty shrugged. "But that just means that Ash and I have to cheer for each other that little bit harder." Suddenly the announcer's voice blared around the stadium, introducing the next two trainers to enter the battlefield.

Misty cheered loudly while Elisabeth remained as stoic as ever, carefully studying the girl next to her.

"That's what I don't understand," Elisabeth stated, drawing Misty's attention as Ash and his opponent called out their Pokémon. "You're rivals right now, why would you be cheering for him to win? You'll be battling him soon if you both continue to advance through the tournament."

"That may be so," Misty agreed. "But our friendship is worth so much more than a simple tournament. We're friends first, rivals second. But don't get me wrong, I'll give it my all if we end up facing each other. It's what friends do; encourage each other to be stronger, challenge each other, but also help each other if we ever fail."

"Wow, that's such a nice way to put it." Elisabeth gave the best smile she could, but internally she was fuming. Jealousy had taken hold. Here she was, following her orders, never once having time to do what she wanted, all the while, her master's precious daughter got to live a life of freedom, a life _she_ longed for. She hated Misty from that moment, she was glad she'd been sent on the mission, if only to someday make the girl cry. But that wouldn't be today, today she had to gain their trust.

Their conversation was cut short when they heard Ash yell out in distress, followed by murmurs in the crowd as the audience discussed what had just happened. Looking down, Elisabeth realised the match wasn't exactly going the way she thought it would.

While it wasn't over, it was clear that the match was in Dave Underwood's favour. Pidgeotto, Ash's Pokémon of choice for the match, had gotten caught in a trap no one saw coming. Down on the field, Pidgeotto was wrapped around hard by Dave's Tangela. But it wasn't the blue vines that had surprised everyone, but rather where they had come from.

Somehow, Tangela had forced its vines underneath the dirt of the battlefield, surprising Pidgeotto when it landed to rest.

"Dave must have combined the moves Bind and Ingrain," Elisabeth noted. "It's the only way Tangela would have been able to dig it vines through the ground."

"You can do that?" Misty questioned. "Combine moves, it seems almost preposterous."

"You can." Elisabeth noted. "It takes heaps of training, but it can be quite effective if you can achieve it, even then you need a Pokémon capable of doing it in the first place. I can count the number of trainers on my hand that I know that can do it. For Dave to have done it, he's either a great trainer or he had help training his Pokémon; I would suggest it's the later."

"How can you know that?"

"Quite frankly, because that kid down there hasn't done anything like it before. He's barely ever won a single match at one of these tournaments." Misty looked at her sceptically, causing Elisabeth to explain herself. "I look up all my opponents before a tournament. It's better to know everyone's weaknesses than battle blind."

"But everyone signed up this morning, there's no way you could know who was entering, unless…"

"…Unless I registered early and studied who was entering the tournament after me," Elisabeth finished.

The crowd suddenly applauded, drawing the attention of the two girls who were again lost in their conversation. Down below, Pidgeotto had somehow managed to free himself from the confines of Tangela's vines.

"Woo! Go Ash!" Misty cheered, earning some glances from the people around them. "Show everyone what you're made of!"

Rising up into the air, Pidgeotto suddenly began to glow. There were gasps in the crowd as Pidgeotto body grew larger, his wings extending wider, and his talons sharper. As the glow dissipated, Pidgeotto was replaced with a fierce looking Pidgeot.

"Yeah! Go Pidgeot!" Ash cheered from below. "Now follow again with a Wing Attack!" Pidgeot's wings glowed white as it swung back down towards Tangela at amazing speed.

"Dodge it, Tangela!" Dave ordered.

"Wrong move." Elisabeth tsked, shaking her head. "Wrong move."

"How so?" Misty asked.

"Dave hasn't even taken into consideration Pidgeot's increased speed after it evolved." Elisabeth explained. "The evolution may as well have thrown out his whole play book because he's suddenly facing a faster and stronger Pokémon than he'd planned for."

Indeed, Elisabeth was right. Down on the field, Tangela didn't even have a chance as Pidgeot homed in on his target, striking the grass-type Pokémon with a super-effective move. The attack flung Tangela back to Dave, who was in as much of a daze as his Pokémon was.

"Tangela is unable to battle!" the ref declared. "Ash Ketchum is the winner."

The stadium rang with thunderous applause as Misty considered what Elisabeth said. She looked down towards the battlefield and then back towards Elisabeth. "Okay, what would you have done then? In Dave's place, I mean."

"I would have known that Tangela's speed would have been nearly half that of its opponent. I would have known that Tangela had no chance of escaping the attack, so I would have immediately come up with a defensive strategy," Elisabeth explained.

"What type of defensive strategy?" Misty asked.

"Tangela can learn Protect, so if it knew that, I would have used it, otherwise-if Dave hadn't already used the move-Ingrain would have been great in that situation; use its health boosting ability to help Tangela endure the hit and then reassess the situation." Elisabeth clarified, earning a look of respect from Misty.

"You sure do know a lot about Pokémon."

"Yeah." Elisabeth smiled, agreeing with the compliment. "I got it from my dad. He made me read a lot of books about Pokémon before I fell in with Team Rocket." It wasn't a total lie, but it was the closest response to the truth she could give.

"I would love to hear more, but I think we should go meet up with Ash."

"S-sure." Elisabeth stuttered. She didn't know why she was nervous, but she knew she had to get it out of the way for her mission.

* * *

"What the hell is she doing here?" Ash asked, annoyed at the presence of one of the few people he wished never to meet again; she had hurt Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, his cheeks sparking warningly.

"Look, I know what she did was bad," Misty agreed, mediating the current situation. Even with her change of hair colour, Ash had recognised Elisabeth straight away, and he was none too pleased. "But just listen to what she has to say, that's all I'm asking."

"Fine," Ash reluctantly agreed. "But you better make it quick, I want to prepare for my next battle."

Elisabeth sighed. "Look… I wanted to apologise for what I did while I was a part of Team Rocket. I was foolish, and stupid, and angry, and I took it out on you and your Pokémon."

"We've already had this conversation," Ash interjected. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did to Pikachu, even though you saved him at that lab. You apologised to me there. I'm wanting to know why I should continue to let you remain in my presence instead of ignoring you?"

"I… Umm… I don't have an answer for that," Elisabeth stammered, shocked that he'd remember their last conversation in such detail. "All that I ask is that you give me a chance and I'll prove to you that I've changed."

"We'll see."

* * *

Elisabeth calmly waded her way outside the stadium, having won her next battle. She needed some fresh air after the heavy talk she'd had with Ash and Misty.

"So, how did it go?" Simeon asked, leaning up against the wall outside the stadium.

"About as well as you would expect," Elisabeth replied. "I'm through to the next round."

"Not that." Simeon waved off. "Your mission. You know, that two targets I saw you talking to earlier."

"About as well as you would expect," Elisabeth repeated. "No thanks to you. Misty wanted me to press charges of harassment."

"And I'm sure you'd love to," Simeon replied, a smug smile adorning his face. "But alas, you need me, so you're stuck with me."

"Don't remind me." Elisabeth groaned. "Why couldn't I have been partnered with Whitney, or even Staci, at least they wouldn't have been such a jerk."

"You'd rather be partnered with Staci?" Simeon raised an eyebrow. "At least I would help you! That bitch wouldn't do a damn thing and then she'd try and take all the glory."

"Awe, did I hit a soft spot?" Elisabeth quipped.

"You damn well know you did!" Simeon growled. "You know what that bitch did to me."

"I've heard the rumours," Elisabeth replied. "Can't say I believe them though. Staci doesn't seem like that type of girl."

"Well she is. And if you ever end up partnered with her, you should watch your back; you might find a few knifes in it if you're not careful," Simeon warned.

"What makes you think you won't find a knife in your back here?" Elisabeth turned around heading back into the stadium.

"You've changed, you know?" Elisabeth stopped, eyeing her partner in confusion. "Those two years in Team Rocket, they changed you. You used to be so sweet and innocent. You'd usually scowl if I said such words as 'bitch' or 'whore,' but now you barely bat an eye."

"I grew up," Elisabeth explained. "I had to if I wanted to survive. What you said was nothing compared to what I heard some of them say over the last two years."

"That's why I think you were sent there," Simeon suggested. "The powers that be didn't like where you were heading, so they sent you on a mission where they could mould you into what ever they wanted. Just watch your back. I don't like that they've sent you on a mission such as this. They could have sent anyone else, anyone who didn't have history with the target, and it would have been so much easier to befriend them… And yet our masters chose you. You're not the type of person they want you to be."

"Noted," Elisabeth replied. "But for now, I have a mission to accomplish, so if you don't mind."

"I'll leave you to it." Simeon nodded. "I'll always have your back, no matter how much of a jerk I act like."

As Elisabeth re-entered the stadium, her mind wandered in clarity. She'd thought that her long-time friend had changed, but maybe they both had. She'd set up walls to protect herself, and for the first time ever, she realised how much her defences had altered her personality.

Once, she was an outgoing, free-willing, person, but now she was closed off. She hid her emotions, only she did it with cold calculation, whereas Simeon hid behind egotism and false bravado. They had changed, she just didn't know if it was for better or for worse.

* * *

"You ready for this?" Elisabeth asked, eyeing Misty, her opponent, from the other side of the field. It was the second semi-final match, with the winner to face Ash in the final.

"Sure am, Elisabeth, show me what you've got!" Misty replied.

"Both trainers, please release your Pokémon!" the ref declared.

"Misty calls Tentacruel!" The large jellyfish Pokémon sprung from his Poké Ball. His two large red orbs reflected the light from the stadium as he used his tentacles to hold himself up on the battlefield. Misty knew she wouldn't have any speed in this battle, but that wasn't what she was after.

"Go Nuzzy!" Elisabeth called, releasing a small bipedal Pokémon with a leaf connected to its head. Its two brown hand bumped together, showing it preparedness for battle.

"Nuzleaf!"

Misty studied the Pokémon, realising that it had to be a grass-type, smirking as she knew she had a type advantage; while most water-type Pokémon were weak to grass-types, Tentacruel's secondary typing of poison nullified the advantage.

"Begin!" the ref declared.

"Okay, Tentacruel, let's see how fast that Pokémon is! Hydro Pump!" A large blast of water shot forth from behind Tentacruel's large blue stinger, racing straight towards Nuzleaf. Elisabeth didn't order her Pokémon to do anything, confusing Misty as the blast of water hit the Pokémon. "Why didn't she order her Pokémon to do anything."

But as the water subsided, Nuzleaf was nowhere to be seen. "Now, Nuzzy! Razor Leaf!"

Misty watched on in complete confusion as Nuzleaf appeared in another corner of the battlefield. Its leaf above its head glowed as it swung it around in circles, firing several sharp leaves at Tentacruel.

Misty, so lost in her confusion, failed to order her Pokémon to protect himself as the leaves smashed into several of his tentacles.

"How?" Was all Misty could ask as the attack died down. Her Pokémon had only taken minor damage.

"I don't reveal all my secrets, Misty," Elisabeth replied. "But let's just say that I substituted a target for you."

"Tentacruel, are you alright?" Misty questioned, finally turning her attention towards her Pokémon after Elisabeth's cryptic message. Tentacruel answered by raising one of his tentacles. "Then let's try and see if we can slow Nuzleaf down! Supersonic!"

Tentacruel's red gem glowed, emitting waves of sound towards Nuzleaf. The smaller bipedal Pokémon was far too fast however, easily leaping out of the way of the attack. Tentacruel tried to follow the smaller Pokémon, but with his tentacles his only support, he was impossibly slow.

Misty began to wonder if she'd made a mistake in using Tentacruel after he was hit with another torrent of leaves. She'd chosen power over mobility, and it appeared Elisabeth had chosen the exact opposite. "We can't hit Nuzleaf from a distance, so we'll have to try and draw him in," she muttered. "Tentacruel stop!"

Tentacruel, who was still trying to hit Nuzleaf with Supersonic, stopped, confused. "Tenta?" he questioned.

"It's alright, I've got an idea." Misty reassured. "Now hold and wait for my signal."

Elisabeth eyed Misty suspiciously, trying to determine what was going through the young red-head's mind. She quickly looked back at her Pokémon, deciding to spring the little trap Misty had seemingly set. "Nuzzy, Solar Beam!"

There were murmurs from the crowd as they waited for the attack to charge up. They wondered why Misty wasn't ordering her Pokémon to do anything. But Ash, who had seen Misty battle with Tentacruel before, had a strong suspicion that he knew what was about to happen.

Nuzleaf's leaf glowed green as it absorbed light for the attack. Quickly, it opened its mouth, all the energy forming there as it prepared to launch its attack.

Just as the attack fired, Misty turned to her Pokémon. "Now, Barrier!" A purplish-blue energy barrier formed around Tentacruel, blocking the green beam of energy from hitting Tentacruel. The barrier disappeared after the beam died down, revealing Tentacruel was unharmed.

If Elisabeth had sprung a trap, she didn't exactly know what type of trap it was. She knew she had to give her Pokémon time to recover, so she ordered her Pokémon to return to her end of the battlefield.

She studied the battlefield, remembering that the field was the equivalent of a sandy terrain. She wanted to end the battle quickly, and she knew how. "Nuzzy, let's finish this. Use Nature Power now!"

With the sandy terrain, Nuzleaf's attach changed to the conditions as it suddenly glowed with a dim yellow light. Quickly, fissures began opening up from where Nuzleaf stood and spread out across the battlefield like a wild fire.

Misty only had enough time to order her Pokémon to protect himself, and while the barrier prevented Tentacruel from taking any damage from the attack, it had no effect on helping the jellyfish Pokémon when a giant hole opened beneath him. Tentacruel lost all balance and fell into the hole, leaving the Pokémon wide open.

"Game over, Misty!" Elisabeth called. "You may have thought that I was at a disadvantage when I chose Nuzzy, but I knew exactly what I was doing." She turned towards her Pokémon. "Now, Nuzzy, finish this with Extrasensory!"

Nuzleaf jumped over the hole that Tentacruel was trapped in, its eyes glowing gold before it fired a multi-coloured beam at Tentacruel.

Tentacruel attempted to raise another barrier, but the shield was too weak as it shattered on impact with the beam. With no way to move, Tentacruel felt the full strength of the super-effective attack, collapsing in exhaustion.

"Tentacruel is unable to battle!" the ref declared. "Elisabeth Carter is the winner!"

* * *

"That was a great battle, Misty," Elisabeth commended, meeting up with the younger girl after their battle.

"Mmm, yeah, thanks," Misty replied gloomily.

"Hey, don't be so down," Elisabeth tried to consol. "You've got a long way to go, but you'll get there. I was just lucky with my choice of Pokémon is all."

"I guess, but I wonder how hard it will be to raise my rank if everyone knows what type of Pokémon I'm going to use before the match even begins."

"It's very hard to remain with one Pokémon type throughout your whole career, Misty," Elisabeth explained. "Sure, you use water-types in water tournaments, but you should try and catch a variety for when you have to compete in tournaments like this. You don't have to use only one type in these matches."

"Thanks." Misty half smiled. "Someone told me that before. Perhaps they were right, I need to branch out with other types so I can get to know them as much as I know water-types. It'll let me know their strengths and weaknesses for when I'm facing multiple types of Pokémon with only water-types in hand."

"That's the spirit, now come on, we should go get our Pokémon checked out."

* * *

Misty and Elisabeth met up with Ash before heading to the tournament's Pokémon Centre. When they arrived, however, they noticed something was completely off.

"Where's Nurse Joy?" Ash questioned, frantically approaching the desk. "I'd left Pikachu here after my last battle and now they're nowhere to be seen!"

"Ash, you need to calm down," Misty reassured. "She might be out the back looking after all the Pokémon."

Ash sighed, ringing the bell. But when no one appeared, his worry returned. "Nurse Joy!" he called out. "Nurse Joy!" Ash activated his aura sense, trying to see if he could sense her anywhere nearby, but without distinctly knowing the shape of Nurse Joy's aura, it was a lost cause.

"She's not here!" Elisabeth called, emerging from the room where the Pokémon would usually be. "And neither are the Pokémon!"

"Then…" Ash paused. "Then where's Pikachu?"

* * *

 **Will Ash get Pikachu back? Will Elisabeth accomplish her mission? And Who will win the Tournament? Find out next time!**

 **I had to cut it here because the next part will be quite long, and I wanted to update as soon as possible. I'm nearly finished with the next part and hope to update soon.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)  
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:  
**

 **Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	9. Chapter 9 - Saving Grace

**Hey everyone! I decided to upload this earlier than I'd planned because it's kind of a two-parter. I do have a schedule this year, and the next chapter will be up on the 23** **rd** **of February!**

 **As for the title of the chapter, for those who don't know, Saving Grace is a saying that means "a redeeming quality that an object has that would otherwise be discarded." (Ie. The car was old, but its saving grace was that it was a vintage collectable).**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 9 – Saving Grace

Ash paced back and forth through the small Pokémon Centre, his mind racing. His Pokémon were gone, he knew that, but so was Nurse Joy. How could someone, have not only stolen the Pokémon, but also kidnapped the Nurse Joy that was looking after them without anyone noticing?

He checked storage, he checked the operating theatre, he checked the whole damn place, and yet he couldn't find any sign. The only thing that remained was Nurse Joy's nursing cap, but that didn't tell them anything. Not only was his Pokémon gone, but his aura sense couldn't pick them up anywhere; clearly, they were already too far away.

Finally, after a moment of venting, he returned to Misty and Elisabeth, his worry turning to anger before them. Suddenly, he pointed at Elisabeth. "You!" he snapped. "You had something to do with this!"

"Ash, calm down!" Misty tried, but absolutely nothing would stop him from his little tirade.

"No, Misty!" he replied. "Every time! Every bloody time she's around, something happens to Pikachu!"

"You think I'm involved?" Elisabeth questioned, offended by the accusation.

"Well, there's a high chance that you are!" Ash replied. "There's a saying; 'One's an accident, two's a coincidence, but three's a pattern. And I see a pattern forming, don't you?"

"Just because I'm around doesn't mean I had anything to do with the Pokémon going missing," Elisabeth defended.

"Missing?" Ash snorted. "Pokémon don't just go missing, Elisabeth! They were stolen-and more than likely-Nurse Joy was kidnapped!"

"Ash!" Misty tried again, only to be cut off.

"I knew I should have never listened to you, Misty!"

Misty paused, trying to hide the pain she felt at that moment. Everything seemed to stop, as if time itself had come to a halt. Ash didn't notice what he had done; too caught up in the situation. Choking back tears, she looked between Ash and Elisabeth before facing away from them. "I'm…" She sobbed. "I'm going to go find someone. You two have a look around and see what you can find while I get the authorities."

Elisabeth could see the hurt in Misty's eyes, but she said nothing as the younger girl departed. Finally, when Misty had disappeared around the corner, she spoke. "Nice going, you idiot."

"Me!" Ash retaliated, completely blind to Misty's feelings. "I'm not the one who's stolen the Pokémon!"

"Ugh!" Elisabeth groaned, throwing her hands up in defeat. "You know what, let's see if we can find any clues as to where the Pokémon were taken, I'll let you deal with the mess you made!"

"Deal with what mess?"

Elisabeth just shook her head.

* * *

After investigating, Ash and Elisabeth found themselves outside the stadium, where they found a set of tyre tracks leaving the area.

"This must have been from whoever stole the Pokémon," Elisabeth stated.

"Are you sure?" Ash questioned, still not trusting her. "These could be for anything. A supply truck. Anything."

"I imagine a supply truck would be the perfect cover," Elisabeth explained. "Whoever took the Pokémon would have needed a large vehicle to transport them in. There were what, two, maybe three hundred Poké Balls in that Centre?"

"I didn't look, but I imagine there would have been quite a few Pokémon in that centre," Ash agreed. "With the competition and everything."

"If we follow the tracks, we may be able to find them."

"This is a big city, Elisabeth, don't you think it would be better to wait for the authorities to get here?"

"Something tells me they won't arriving for some time," Elisabeth stated. She didn't explain herself, but she had a niggling feeling that Misty wanted a little time to herself before she called anyone for help.

"Then what do we do?" Ash asked.

"Luckily, I happen to have a Pokémon that can sniff out anyone, no matter how far away they are," Elisabeth said, releasing her Pokémon. The flash of light gave way to a four limbed, black furred, canine like Pokémon with two horns protruding from its head. "Okay, Hound Dog, do you think you can find Nurse Joy for us?" She pulled out Nurse Joy's cap, allowing the dark Pokémon to sniff the nurse's scent.

Houndoom sniffed the air, and then the ground, before taking off in the direction of the tracks.

Ash and Elisabeth gave chase, trying to keep up with the Pokémon as it raced through the city. "Hound Dog?" Ash questioned, confused by the name.

"It's the name of a famous song." Elisabeth shrugged. "When I got Houndoom as a little Houndour, that song was playing in the back ground, so I called him that."

"Never really thought about giving any of my Pokémon a name," Ash admitted. "Most of them don't seem to mind though."

"You should think about it," Elisabeth suggested. "It can create a bond between you and the Pokémon."

* * *

They weren't sure how far they'd travelled when Houndoom suddenly turned a corner and halted. They both slowed down, peering around the corner where they noticed a small delivery truck parked in an ally way.

"This must be the place," Ash stated, earning an 'Obviously' look from Elisabeth. "We should check the truck first, see if any of the Pokémon are inside."

"Agreed," Elisabeth whispered, lowering her voice so they wouldn't be detected if anyone was listening. She returned her Pokémon before approaching the truck.

They opened the large metal door at the rear of the truck, finding several Poké Balls inside. Unfortunately, Nurse Joy was nowhere to be found, and most of the Poké Balls were still missing.

They wandered around the truck, finding no evidence of the thieves' whereabouts, with the only thing to go on being the large metal door connected to a steel warehouse next to the ally way. Deciding they had no better alternative, they tried to pry the door open, only to find that is was locked shut.

Even with both their strength, the door would not budge. Grumbling in annoyance, Elisabeth summoned one of her Pokémon. As the red glow faded, a hulking green dinosaurian Pokémon stood tall, ready to roar to demonstrate its power before quickly being shushed by its trainer. "Do you think you could open this door for us, Tyry?"

The Tyranitar looked towards the door before nodding. It strolled up to the door, gripped both sides with its tree claws on each hand, and with all its strength, wrenched the whole metal door off its hinges, before placing it down on the ground as quietly as it could.

"Thanks." Elisabeth smiled, returning the Pokémon. "You'll get a treat later." She turned towards Ash, who had a stunned expression.

"You have a Tyranitar?" he blurted before he could stop himself.

"I got Tyry as an egg." Elisabeth shrugged. "She was a gift from my father; Tyry's mother was my father's Pokémon."

"We should get going." Ash pointed towards the new opening in the warehouse. "I just hope no one heard that."

Ash and Elisabeth entered the warehouse, wading passed the rusted steel columns that held up the old structure. Ash realised it would be a perfect location to hide out; the building was isolated, no one was within a kilometre of the place, and it appeared to have been abandoned a long time ago.

"This warehouse was used during the Great War," Elisabeth spoke, scanning the area, as if reading Ash's mind. "The Orange Islands were used as a staging ground by Kanto during the war against Hoenn. Makes sense to use this place as a hide out. It hasn't been used for anything else in nearly fifty years."

"Why would a place like this be abandoned though?" Ash questioned. "We're not that far from the city centre."

"The war brought a lot of soldiers to the Orange Islands." Elisabeth shrugged, remembering her history lessons. "But it also brought a lot of jobs with it. The Orange Islands had an economy boom during the war, but when it was over, the soldiers left, and so did the work.

"The economy collapsed, and most people fled to the mainland for work and never returned. The archipelago's population plummeted, and most buildings were abandoned. Even today, The Orange Islands population still hasn't reached its pre-war level; it's why most of the cities look empty."

Suddenly, a large bang was heard on the far side of the warehouse where several steel polls clattered as they hit the ground, the noise ringing in their ears. They couldn't see the commotion, guessing that it must have happened in an adjacent room to theirs.

"You idiot!" They heard a female yell, muffled by the steel wall. "You'll draw attention!"

"There's no one around but us!" A male voice replied, equally as agitated. "Besides, I imagine this happens all the time!"

"We were told to wait here for pick up," the female replied. "I would rather not be found by anyone else while we wait. I'd like to be paid, instead of being caught like last time."

Ash could sense three people in the next room, but with only two of them talking, he figured that the other one had to be Nurse Joy. Creeping quietly up to the door that connected the two rooms, the two Pokémon trainers listened to the conversation.

"This better be worth it," the male continued, still annoyed. "After the publicity with the breeding centre, I would rather lay low for a while. I don't think the boss will bail us out again."

 _Breading centre?_ Ash thought, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. _The last time I heard about an incident at a breeding centre, I_ … His eyes widened in realisation; he knew exactly who they were.

"It's a hundred grand!" the woman replied. "Each! That's more than either of us have made in the last two years combined!"

Ash's patience wore thin, and he'd heard enough of conversation to know they were the people he was after. Summoning Charizard, he kicked open the door forcefully. The two occupants had no time to react as they suddenly found themselves confronted by a menacing looking dragon that was just as pissed off as his trainer.

Ash's suspicions were correct when he found himself standing before the Team Rocket grunts Butch and Cassidy. "Give me my Pikachu!" he declared, looking passed the two thieves towards the container that housed his Pokémon. "I won't say it again!" He gestured towards Charizard.

Both thieves looked towards each other, silently communicating as if they read each other's mind. They knew that the jig was up. They'd been tracked, the Pokémon had been found, and they weren't going to get paid. The best bet was for them to run. To try and escape before any cops showed up to arrest them.

Their eyes focused on the girl behind Ash as she entered, her canine like Pokémon growling at them. Butch looked back towards Cassidy, silently motioning for them to make their escape.

Cassidy nodded, turning towards Ash. "You win this round."

The words confused Ash, but he didn't have time to contemplate when the room was suddenly filled with smoke. The gas hit his lungs, causing him to cough, before Charizard blew the smoke away with his wings. But it'd been enough time for the two thieves to escape through a door behind them.

Elisabeth raced forward, determined to follow them when he noticed Ash wasn't moving. "Come on," she said. "We can still catch them."

"No." Ash shook his head. "Let them go. We have the Pokémon, and Nurse Joy, that's all that matters."

Elisabeth looked reluctantly through the door, and then back at Ash, before sighing. "I'll call the cops. Let them know where the Pokémon are," she muttered, pulling out her phone.

* * *

It didn't take long for the local Officer Jenny and the other city's cops to rock up. Nurse Joy, who was still unconscious, was quickly rushed to the local hospital while authorities from the Pokémon League collected the stolen Poke Balls to return them to their rightful owner's.

Pikachu was happily sleeping in Ash's lap as he and Elisabeth were escorted back to the stadium. Unfortunately, Butch and Cassidy had escaped, but at least the Pokémon were safe.

Their arrival was met with reporters who were trying to get the best scoop. The authorities pushed the crowding vultures out of the way, stating that information would be given once the investigation was complete.

Ash was happy he didn't have to answer any more questions, having already been grilled when the cops first showed up. Instead, he focused on his battle against Elisabeth that had been postponed until now.

She was strong, he knew that, and not just because her Pokémon were strong. In every one of her battles, she had a different tactic best suited for the Pokémon she used. She was different to most trainers, who'd just wing it, or use the same strategy with all of their Pokémon.

She didn't rely on moves, or Pokémon typing, instead, she focused on how her Pokémon battled; where they were, what they were doing, whether they were in the right spot or not. If he was going to win, he'd have to counter that. He just hoped that he would figure out a way before the match began.

* * *

Waiting for the battle to begin was one of the hardest things Ash faced. Pikachu wasn't with him, having been given rather reluctantly to be checked out by the new Nurse Joy that was rushed to the stadium, so he was all alone. He was nervous, pacing back and forth through the designated changing rooms, but it also gave him time to plan his strategy.

Finally coming to a halt, he placed four Poké Balls on the table in front of him. He ran his hands over the Poké Balls, contemplating the pros and cons of each Pokémon. He needed a Pokémon that could both take a hit but was also nimble and could move around with ease.

First, there was Gyarados, his second strongest Pokémon, and while he would have loved to use him, Ash was worried about his Pokémon's limited manoeuvrability. Sure, Gyarados could fly, but even that was limited. If there was water, he would have chosen him, but he didn't want to fall in the same trap Misty had.

Next was Charizard, his strongest Pokémon, who's power was unmatchable by his other Pokémon. But even then, his manoeuvrability was solely based on his ability to fly. In many ways, his pros and cons were similar to Gyarados', but Charizard was clearly able to move more freely in the air.

After that was Sandslash, whom-if you asked him-would argue that he was Ash's strongest Pokémon, and while the tough mouse Pokémon couldn't take as much of a beating, or fly, like his counterparts, he made up for it with his ability to quickly move underneath the battlefield. Plus, he needed a Pokémon who could improvise, and Sandslash was very good at that.

And lastly there was Gengar, who Ash knew would be nearly impossible to follow during the battle, but Elisabeth used dark-types-or at least every Pokémon she'd seen her use at least included the dark typing-immediately putting him at a disadvantage.

Sure, some would ask why he wouldn't use Primeape if he knew Elisabeth was going to use a dark-type, and his answer would have clearly been that his fighting-type just wouldn't be strong enough. Heck, the only other fighting-type he had was just a baby.

He placed his hand on each Poké Ball one last time before finally grasping the Pokémon he chose to battle with. Now… Now all he had to do was wait for the battle to start.

* * *

Ash's eyes wandered around the stadium, which-to this point-hadn't been very packed throughout all of his matches. It seemed that word had gotten around about the incident and now everyone wanted to be the first to know about what would surely be in the news later.

For his part, Ash tried making Misty out in the crowd like he had earlier, but he couldn't with so many people. For some unknown reason his best friend had been avoiding him; not even coming to make sure he or his Pokémon were okay when they returned.

But his focus turned back towards his battle. Elisabeth was standing on the other side, eyeing the battlefield with a Poké Ball in hand. "You ready for this?" she asked, catching Ash's gaze on her.

"I sure am!" Ash declared holding up his own Poké Ball.

"This is a battle between Ash Ketchum and Elisabeth Carter!" the ref stated. "The winner will be crowned the victor of the tournament! Both trainers can select one Pokémon each, with no substitutions!" the ref eyed both trainers, waving her flag to signal the begin of the match. "Please choose your Pokémon."

"Sandslash! I choose you!" Ash threw the Poké Ball into the air, releasing the mouse Pokémon in all its glory.

Elisabeth seemed a little taken back by Ash's choice; having thought he would use his Charizard. Never the less, she shook her head, releasing the Pokémon she was going use anyway; her Zoroark.

Ash eyed the Pokémon, its crimson red mane sending a shiver down his spine. The last time he'd faced this Pokémon, Pikachu had ended up badly injured, and if it wasn't for Misty, he was sure his Pokémon would have been in much worse shape.

Ash quickly realised why Elisabeth had chosen this Pokémon. This wasn't just a battle between Pokémon, but also battle between trainers, and Elisabeth had planned to use Zoroark to throw him off balance.

And it may have worked, if Pikachu was with him, be he wasn't going to fall for any of her mind games. "Nice try!" Ash shouted. "Playing mind games won't work though; I'm determined to win this battle!"

"It was worth a try!" Elisabeth shrugged. "Night Slash!"

The command came so quick that Ash hadn't expected it, but his Pokémon's speed aloud him to quickly counter. "Sand Attack"

Sandslash gathered the sand around him as Zoroark advanced on its two legs, with its claws glowing red. Once the Fox Pokémon was in range, Sandslash flung the sand at Zoroark's pointed face. But instead of hitting the Pokémon, Zoroark counted, batting the sand away with its glowing claws.

Shocked, Sandslash did the only thing that he could; quickly borrowing underneath the surface.

"Stop!" Elisabeth instructed. "Listen. Feel the vibrations, you'll know when Sandslash pops out!"

Ash looked over at his opponent, impressed. While most wouldn't know what to do, Elisabeth gave her Pokémon instruction the second Sandslash disappeared.

"Metal Claw!" Ash wearily called out, knowing his Pokémon would hear him. "But come out when your ready!" He knew if Sandslash attacked straight away it would throw away any element of surprise they had.

Instead, everyone waited, and as time dragged on, if felt like it was taking forever. Suddenly, Sandslash emerged right underneath Zoroark's feet, his claws glowing white. But the Fox Pokémon wasn't the least bit surprised, having expected Sandslash to attack in such a matter.

Instead of getting the jump on his opponent he'd hoped for, Sandslash suddenly found his glowing white claw deflected by Zoroark's own red one. As Sandslash's claws were knocked away, Zoroark grabbed Sandslash's arm and threw the Pokémon back towards Ash's side of the field without being commanded by Elisabeth.

Ash eyed the Pokémon, recalling Pikachu's battle against it. What he'd forgotten-or rather quickly remembered-was that Zoroark nearly fought on its own, without needing to be commanded by Elisabeth.

It was able to make choices in the field that its trainer may not have thought of. Maybe the strategy was to deflect and throw Sandslash away, but he couldn't tell, especially with the look Elisabeth had given him when he released his Pokémon; they'd planned for a different Pokémon, not Sandslash.

This Pokémon had the ability, and the authority, to make moves in the field without being commanded, and it worried him. He knew his Pokémon could improvise to dodge an attack, but his Pokémon couldn't randomly select an attack that would be effective without his command.

"Zoroark, Dark Pulse!" Elisabeth commanded, realising that Ash was distracted. Zoroark placed its two paws in front of its chest, black-purplish energy forming between them. Suddenly, a beam shot forth from between its paws, flying straight towards Sandslash.

Ash hadn't noticed the attack in time, but his Pokémon simply burrowed back into the ground without being commanded. "Sorry, Sandslash!" Ash apologised, knowing he'd drop the ball on this occasion. But another thought cam to his mind; if he couldn't hit Zoroark with close range attacks, how could he win? As far as he knew, Sandslash's range attacks were very limited, and not all that powerful.

* * *

Misty sat in the stands, only occasionally watching the battle. At this point she really didn't care who won, but she sure as hell wasn't going to barrack for Ash. At least, not until he apologised. He hadn't realised it, but his words had hurt her deeply.

It wasn't the words as much as the meaning behind them. To say that he "should never had listened to her," made her feel like he didn't trust her at all. And to make matters worse, when it was discovered that Elisabeth had nothing to do with the kidnapping, he didn't even come and say anything to her. As far as she was concerned their friendship was on hold, and it would take a hell of a lot of apologising for her to forgive him.

Misty was so lost in her own thoughts that when Tracey took the seat next to her, she didn't even notice. "Good battle?" he asked, leaning over.

Misty jumped, immediately turning her head towards the older boy. "Oh! Sorry, Tracey, I didn't see you there!"

"That's alright," Tracey reassured. "I'm sure this battle is quite enthralling."

"Wouldn't know," Misty stated, looking at her Pokémon in Tracey's arms. "So, how was he? I hope he didn't cause any trouble?" she asked, taking the Pokémon from his grasp.

"Tuci Pri!" Togepi trilled, happy to be back in his trainer's arms.

"He was a delight," Tracey replied, deciding not to ask what she meant by her first statement. "My parents absolutely loved him, and I got some good sketches too."

"That's good," she said, turning her attention back towards her Pokémon. "Come on little guy, you've had a long day, time for a nap." Misty was happy to fawn over Togepi; at least now she had an excuse to not focus on the battle, especially with Tracey around.

* * *

Ash gritted his teeth when Sandslash landed in front of him with a thud. Everything he'd tried wasn't working, and Sandslash appeared to be getting tired. He had one move up his sleeve, but he'd hoped to use it later. "Sandslash, Earthquake!"

Sandslash raised his leg into the air quickly, trying to send the shockwave through the battlefield before Zoroark could react.

But unfortunately, Elisabeth was only it. "Quick, Zoroark, charge at Sandslash with Agility!"

Zoroark's speed nearly quadrupled as it charged towards Sandslash. But even with its increased speed it wasn't fast enough to reach Sandslash before he brought his leg down.

Elisabeth had expected this, however, and had already formulated a plan in her mind. As the shockwave raced across the battlefield, with Zoroark still charging towards it, Elisabeth commanded her Pokémon to leap into the air and over the attack.

Ash groaned as Zoroark jumped just before the attack landed, avoiding any damage. But Ash suddenly realised he had Zoroark in a compromising position. "Quick! Poison Sting!"

Sandslash quickly spun around, realising that his opponent wouldn't be able to dodge while in mid-air. As he spun, several purple spikes flew from his back towards Zoroark.

Zoroark raised its glowing claws in response, trying to deflect the spikes away. But there were too many of them, with several of them hitting the mark. Elisabeth quickly ordered her Pokémon to stop any attack it planned and to return to her side of the field.

Ash sighed in relief, eyeing Elisabeth as both Pokémon looked at each other. But relief turned to concern when Elisabeth gave her next command.

"Zoroark, disappear."

Ash couldn't believe it as Zoroark simply vanished into thin air. He looked towards his opponent hoping to earn an explanation, but she simply shook her head. Another thing that came at a shock was when Sandslash was suddenly swiped by one of Zoroark's attacks.

Realising he needed to figure out what was going on, he pulled out his Pokédex, scrolling through all the Pokémon listed until he found Zoroark.

Sensing his distraction, Elisabeth ordered her Pokémon to go on the offensive. Sandslash's annoyance grew as he was swiped across the field, deciding to counter with his own attack. Swipe after swipe he through into the air, hoping to hit something, but hitting nothing.

Ash suddenly found what he was looking for and when he read it, he couldn't believe it. _Illusion,_ he thought. "Sandslash! Zoroark hasn't completely disappeared, it has just made it look like it has. Use another Earthquake, that should make it reappear!"

True to his word, as another shockwave passed over the field, Zoroark reappeared. Ash noticed it was slower as it made its way back over to Elisabeth's side of the field, but his own Pokémon had taken too much damage in the onslaught when Zoroark was invisible.

Ash gulped, he knew this battle would be over soon. Whether he won or not, that was another story. "Sandslash, Earthquake again!"

"Not so fast, Ash!" Elisabeth called, drawing the boy's attention. "I guess you can sense it as well, and I'm sorry to say, but you've lost. Zoroark, Imprison and then follow it with Night Daze!"

To Ash's surprise, Sandslash's leg never made it to the ground, having frozen in mid air by purplish energy that surrounded his body. Ash knew he could only watch as Zoroark's eyes glowed light blue, with crimson aura wrapping itself around the Pokémon's body.

It raised its arms above its head, the crimson aura growing thicker around the Pokémon's body. Suddenly, it brought its arms down, sending a shockwave of crimson aura across the battlefield.

Sandslash, unable to move, took the full force of the attack, knocking him harshly into the ground. Sliding across the battlefield, he came to a skidding halt in front of his trainer; unconscious.

"Sandslash is unable to battle!" the ref declared. "Elisabeth is the winner!"

* * *

Ash congratulated his opponent, standing awkwardly as the winner was handed her prizes during the ceremony. For his part, Ash was given a few items as well, but that wasn't the reason he battled.

"You did well," he commended. "You've clearly trained Zoroark well."

"Thanks," Elisabeth smiled. "Zoroark is the first Pokémon I ever had, and I don't think I would go anywhere without him."

"You're a good person," Ash stated. "You may try to keep this dark veneer, but at heart you're a decent person. Maybe that's your saving grace."

"Thanks." Elisabeth smiled, looking into the crowd. "I better go, my friend will be waiting for me."

With that, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ash to find his own friends. Now that one issue was dealt with, he had to deal with the another one that was far more urgent.

* * *

Butch and Cassidy sat quietly in the small cabin located outside the city, licking their wounds as they waited for everything to cool off. On days like this, they were glad that Team Rocket had set up safe houses near every major city. They'd failed in steeling the Pokémon, but they felt that they had been betrayed.

Suddenly, the door to the cabin opened, and in walked the person who'd hired them. Looking over the short stature of the girl in front of them, their annoyance turned to anger. "You bitch! You betrayed us! We had a deal!"

"I didn't betray anything," Elisabeth replied, strolling in with a briefcase in hand. "Your payment, as agreed." She placed the briefcase on the table, opening it to reveal stacks of money inside.

"But we failed to capture the Pokémon?" Butch questioned, earning a glare from Cassidy. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the money, he just didn't understand why they were being paid.

"You did exactly what I asked you to do," Elisabeth explained, sliding over the briefcase. "I asked you to steel the Pokémon, I didn't say I was going to take them."

"Then why have us steal them in the first place?" Cassidy asked, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"How else do you get someone to trust you when you already have bad blood with them?" It was a rhetorical question, but Elisabeth could sense that they needed a further explanation. "After I helped that boy get his Pokémon back, he began to trust me. He thought I'd helped him out of the goodness of my heart, which is exactly what I wanted. I had no interest in the Pokémon."

Elisabeth stepped back from the table, turning towards the door she entered from. "Our arrangement is over."

"We want more money!" Cassidy demanded. Elisabeth ignored her, continuing to stroll towards the door. "You put us in the sight of the authorities again." When Elisabeth didn't stop, Cassidy pulled out her strongest weapon. "Wouldn't the boss like to know that one of his protégés is out of custody? Surely, he'd love to know how you escaped, and why you're free and clear of any authorities."

Elisabeth stiffened, her hands resting by her sides as she contemplated her next step. She turned around, thrusting her arm so quickly that Cassidy barely saw it. What Cassidy did see, however, was the knife that flew right between her and Butch's heads, slamming into the wooden wall behind them, lodged deep.

"You tell Geovanni anything and then next one won't miss," Elisabeth threatened, her voice surprisingly calm.

"I'd listen to her if I was you," Simeon added, appearing behind the two thieves. He pulled the knife from the wall and walked up to Elisabeth. "The last person to threaten her ended up in a coma, they don't know if he'll ever wake up."

"Oh, he'll never wake up, I made sure of that," Elisabeth added.

Cassidy and Butch stunned silent. They couldn't move, nor could they tell if what Simeon had said was the truth.

"We'll be going now," Simeon continued, walking towards the door. "Don't follow us." The door closed, and for the first time Cassidy let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding.

Outside, Elisabeth laughed once she knew they were out of earshot. "Oh my god, did you see their faces?"

"Yeah!" Simeon smiled. "The guy went completely pale when I mentioned you'd put someone in a coma."

"I know!" Elisabeth agreed, frowning. "I didn't put him in a coma though. I just hurt him, really badly."

* * *

 **How will Ash deal with the mess he made with Misty? What is Elisabeth's true goal? What will happen next? Find out Next time!**

 **Please let me know which Pokémon you would have chosen from the four I had Ash choose from. Also, tell me who would have won the battle, and why, with the Pokémon you chose. I'd love to get other perspectives on where this story is right now.**

 **I took some creative licencing with Zoroark using its illusion powers to make it look like it just disappeared. I don't know if that's how it works, but I thought it would be cool.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)** **  
** **Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)** **  
** **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:** **  
**  
 **Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)** **  
** **Sandslash (Ground) (Male)** **  
** **Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Togepi (Fairy) (Male)** **  
** **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	10. Chapter 10 - Environmental Trials

**Hey, everyone, apologies for being a day late. Finalising this chapter took longer than I expected.**

 **Warning; the rating has been changed to M due to dark themes.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10 – Environmental Trials

The sun shone brightly in the sky, shining peacefully down onto Ash and his friends as they made their way towards Naval Island. But, compared to naturalistic beauty of the warm day, the atmosphere on Lapras' back was nothing but cold, and quite uneasy.

Ash-seated near Lapras' head-bounced Riolu up and down on his lap as he watched the island they were nearing grow larger. Meanwhile, Misty sat on the other side of Lapras' shell, her legs dangling next to the Pokémon's blue tail as she mindlessly stared out at the sea behind them.

Tracey. Well, Tracey was stuck in the middle of it all. Glancing from one friend to the other, he had no idea what had happened, only that it must have been pretty bad for neither of them to be talking at all. Sure, he'd known something was wrong when he found Misty during Ash's recent battle, but he didn't realise how bad it was until they boarded Lapras to head to the next island.

That had happened nearly a week ago, and yet, they still weren't talking. He'd tried asking Misty, only to receive a glare; he knew not to ask her again as if his life depended on it. He'd then turned to Ash, hoping to receive an answer. Unfortunately, the answer wasn't what he was looking for when Ash only shrugged in reply.

Sighing, he glanced between Ash and Misty again for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. He knew he wouldn't get an answer out of either of them, and that left him with one option; calling their last travelling companion for help.

Luckily, under the new league rules, Tracey had to have the contact details of the people Ash and Misty considered their guardians. Misty, surprisingly, had listed her sisters, while Ash listed his mother, but, for some reason, not his father. Interestingly, they'd both listed Brock on that list, and Tracey had to wonder why.

He hadn't had a reason to call any of them, until now, and he had a suspicion that Brock would be the best to call for such a situation; he was sure that Misty's sisters and Ash's mother knew their respective family quite well, but he had a feeling that only Brock knew about the unique relationship they both had.

"Look at that mountain!" Ash suddenly spoke up, standing to get a better view. Tracey and Misty followed suit, studying the island in front of them. The large rocky mountain at the centre of the island extended high into the heavens, its peak shrouded by the clouds above.

"It sure is a tall mountain!" Tracey agreed, while Misty simply grunted in reply.

"Come on, we should hurry!" Ash said, turning towards his friends. "The quicker we get there, the quicker I can get the next badge and we can move on!"

* * *

Coming to a stop on the sandy beach, they departed Lapras and walked slowly inland. Making their way off the beach, they were confronted with the sight of small town that had nearly been overrun by the environment.

"This place sure is quiet," Misty noted, scanning the stone buildings.

"It seems like it's deserted," Tracey added.

"And I don't see any Gym around here either," Ash agreed, his face frowning in concern; he remembered Elisabeth telling him about how many people deserted the Orange Islands after the Great War, he just didn't realise how badly until now.

Suddenly, the silence was filled with soothing tropical music. Turning, they three trainers watched as a boat sailed towards the shore. Clutching the wind sail was a tall muscular man in a simple Hawaiian shirt and blue shorts.

Ash, Misty, and Tracey blinked in shock as the boat landed on shore, the tall man jumping onto the sand beneath. "Hi!" he greeted. "I bet you guys are looking for a gym battle!"

"Uhh… Yeah!" Ash confirmed, nodding his head unsurely.

"Well, you came to the right place," the man said. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Danny." He smiled, the sun reflecting off his teeth.

"Uhh… Hi, I'm Ash!"

"And my name is Tracey."

"Oh!" Misty suddenly spoke up, bowing slightly. "My name is Misty!"

"Misty, aye? That beautiful name suites you," Danny commented.

Tracey was shocked, but not for the reason you would believe. On the other hand, Ash gaped in complete surprise for a purely selfish reason. "You mean her?" they both blurted at the same time.

Ignoring their comment, Danny strode past the two boys, walking straight up to Misty. "My pleasure, Misty." He extended out his hand, offering it in greeting.

"Uhh." Misty nervously leaned forward, grasping Danny's hand while smiling. "Nice to meet you!"

"I've seen some beautiful things in these islands, but nothing as beautiful as you," Danny said.

Misty swooned, her face glowing in a shade of pink. "Beautiful as me?"

Tracey wanted to puke, and not because of the sickly sweetness of the situation, but because of the clear age difference between Misty and Danny. While Misty was still ten, which he knew from the file he received on her when he agreed to be her guardian, Danny was clearly a lot older than her, possibly in his twenties, or at least late teens.

And while he wanted to speak up, he chose not to, believing-or rather hoping-that Danny was simply being overly nice to the people that visited the island. Yep, he was sure of it; there was no way that Danny had any romantic interest in his friend, but he decided to keep a close eye on him just in case.

* * *

Danny led them away from the abandoned town, telling them the history of the island. "With so many people leaving for Kanto, it left a sort of vacuum in the larger cities of the Orange Archipelago. Everyone left this island and ventured north to Ascorbia Island."

"Is that where you're from?" Misty asked, absolutely enthralled in the story.

"Sure am." Danny nodded. "I travel here by boat every morning, bring a lot of supplies with me just in case. Most don't know where the Navel Gym would be otherwise."

"Yeah," Misty agreed. "Looks like you've got everything you need in that backpack."

"Well, you can't always plan for the surprises life has in store," Danny continued. "But I always try to make sure I have everything I'll need before I do something."

"That's such a mature way of looking at things," Misty said. She glanced slyly back at Ash. "Too bad some other Pokémon trainers aren't smart enough to think ahead or know when to control their mouth."

"Sometimes you don't have to plan, especially if you're good enough!" Ash retorted.

"Especially if they're with trainers who know what they're doing!"

"Oh, yeah!" Ash yelled, confronting Misty.

"YEAH!" Misty angrily yelled, turning around to face him.

Ash and Misty's stare off was interrupted as Danny fell into a fit of laughter. "It sounds to me like the two of you are pretty close to one another."

"What do you mean?" Misty questioned, turning back towards Danny, any anger seemingly disappearing.

"What's that saying? 'You always hurt the one you love?'" Danny continued laughing, turning around to lead the group.

"Oh! You've got it all wrong!" Misty explained, blushing as she raced up next to Danny. "I-I'd never get involved with a little kid like him! I only like the mature, intellectual types!"

"She's my age!" Ash groaned. "If anything, she's the kid."

"To be honest, you've both been immature brats for the last week," Tracey observed. He froze, realising he'd spoken his thoughts aloud.

Choosing to ignore his friend's comment, Ash followed Danny and Misty, staying slightly behind the two. "Who is this guy anyway?"

"Maybe he's a trainer, here to challenge the gym." Tracey shrugged. "He did say he came here often. Could be an assistant."

"Yeah, well, we better find out soon!"

* * *

Pushing open the huge metal doors of the Navel Gym, Ash couldn't believe it when he found the place to be empty. Surveying the place, he noticed a cable car docked nearby that led up into the mountain. "I guess you have to take that cable car to get up to where the gym is."

Suddenly, Pikachu drew his attention towards a sign in front of him, where a large winding path led up into the mountain.

Tracey, noticing the sign too, walked up to it. Realising it contained instructions, he read it aloud so everyone could here. "It says, 'Welcome Pokémon Trainer. All Navel Gym challengers must climb to the top.'"

"Climb to the top?" Ash and Misty exclaimed at the same time.

"There's more," Tracey continued. "'Trainers must reach the top on their own, Pokémon may not provide help. Any trainer using a Pokémon will be disqualified.'"

"I have to climb up that, on my own!" Ash groaned.

"Do we have to climb up, too?" Misty asked, concerned, not even caring that Ash would have to climb; it was the reason they were there after all.

"It says those accompanying challengers can use the cable car," Tracey explained.

"You know what," Ash spoke up, a determined look on his face. "I've faced worse. I can do it if I try."

"That's the spirit, Ash!" Tracey encouraged. "You should get a head start. Misty and I'll try to work out how to use the cable car."

"Great!" Ash groaned, they weren't even going to say goodbye. His two friends departed, leaving him staring at the path in front of him. Sighing, he felt Danny approach.

"Don't worry, Ash," Danny reassured. "I'll be climbing with you."

"Thanks." Ash looked at the mountain, nervous.

* * *

Ash wearily gripped the next rock as he climbed the steep mountain. He'd originally though the climb wouldn't be too bad based on the slight winding incline he'd had at the start, but, as he climbed higher, the mountain's surface became nearly vertical, with jagged rocks sticking out everywhere.

One wrong move and he knew he was a goner, but that didn't stop him; he was determined to prove he could do it. Looking up, he noticed Danny several metres up. His annoyance grew, noticing the ease at which Danny climbed the mountain. While he was struggling, Danny didn't appear to be affected at all.

He glanced back down, immediately wishing he hadn't. While looking up made it easier to think you weren't very high, the moment he looked down he realised he was hundreds of metres above this island. He moaned worryingly, trying to regain his focus as the distance nearly doubled in his mind.

"Is everything okay, Ash?" Danny asked, coming to a stop; sensing the younger boy's anxiety.

"Yeah! Everything's just great!" Ash unsurely replied, continuing to climb.

They continued to climb, slowly rising up the mountain as the warm day began to cool the higher they got. Danny climbed unabated, showing his strength, while Ash began to lag behind; he didn't expect to be scaling the sides of mountains when he'd started his journey!

Finally, Ash found a small little inlet on the side of the mountain face. He placed both his arms on it, planning to hoist himself up for a rest, when he heard the sound of the cable car.

"Hey, Ash!" Tracey called before Ash could see them. Ash turned his head, watching as the cable car rose passed him. "We'll see you at the top!" Tracey quickly added.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, jumping onto Tracey's head.

"Hi." Danny waved as the cable car passed.

"Oh, hi!" Misty smiled. "Hi Danny!"

"I'll be at the top in just a little while!" Danny replied.

"Please be extra careful, Danny!" Misty warned, concerned.

Down below, Ash listened to the whole conversation, his anger slowly bubbling. "What's she so worried about him for?" he exclaimed. His anger grew, and suddenly blue energy began to form in his hands from the rage. Without realising, the energy grew too strong, overpowering him as it shot forth, shattering the little inlet he was holding onto. He fell, unable to grip onto anything around him.

"Ash, hang on!" Danny yelled, looking down.

Ash fell several metres as he tried to grab anything he could. Finally, his hand gripped a sharp rock that jutted from the mountain face. Hanging perilously, he quickly used one of his other hands to grab one of his Poké Balls. "Ivysaur, use Vine-"

"Ash! Don't do it!" Danny warned, stopping Ash from summoning his Pokémon.

Ash realised what Danny meant, remembering he would be disqualified if he used a Pokémon. Quickly placing his Poké Ball back onto his belt, he positioned one foot onto a rock below him and pushed himself up.

They continued the climb, eventually coming to small cliff where they agreed to take a rest. The sun was high in the sky and it was clearly mid-day, but it felt colder than it had early in the morning. Gasping for breath, Ash slouched down against the mountain.

"The air is clean; the view is great." Danny sighed. "There is nothing like the mountains."

"Danny," Ash said, drawing the older boys attention. "Thanks for helping me. I would have been disqualified if it wasn't for you."

"No need to thank me, Ash." Danny nodded, showing his appreciation. "I'm just here to help. How about we rest here for a few minutes before we continue?"

"Thanks."

* * *

After the long climb, the rock became covered with snow and began to plateau out, allowing Ash and Danny to simply walk. But now they had another problem as it became unbearably cold. Shivering, Ash wrapped his arms around himself, trying to conserve heat.

Finally, they reached the summit. Ash noticed his companions first, waving to them as he approached. "Hey!" He quickly picked up speed, racing towards his friends. "Misty! Tracey!"

"They did it," Tracey said, turning to face Ash.

Misty laughed as they both ran towards Ash and Danny. They had wrapped themselves to pink blankets due to the cold.

"Hey, you guys, I told you we'd make it!" Ash smiled as his friends neared.

"Great job, Ash!" Tracey commended.

"Here, here!" Misty agreed. But as they neared, Misty didn't stop, instead racing straight passed, towards Danny. "Are you okay, Danny?"

Ash nearly collapsed, annoyed at his friend.

"You must be cold, wanna' share my blanket?" Misty offered, ignoring Ash. Tracey paled; this situation could go from bad to worse at any moment.

"Thanks, but I enjoy this brisk weather." Danny declined, easing Tracey's concern.

 _Brisk?_ Ash silently questioned, annoyed. _I'm shivering over here, there is nothing brisk about it!_ "What about me?" He whined, never realising what he'd just muttered.

Tracey quickly glanced between Misty and Ash, having heard the young boy complain. He suddenly understood the complex friendship they had; he needed to call Brock, and soon.

Danny laughed, passing Misty as he approached Ash. "That was quite a test, Ash," he said. He extended out his hand towards the younger boy. "Congratulations, you passed."

"I passed?" Ash questioned, unsurely.

"I knew it!" Misty suddenly spoke up, turning towards her oldest friend.

"I figured it out when we got to the top and no one else was here," Tracey added when Ash sent them a questioning look.

"What're you talking about? What're you know, Misty?" Ash questioned.

"Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't it, Ash?" Misty replied. "Danny's not here to win a badge, he's the Gym Leader."

"Climbing that mountain was just a test to weed out the wimps!" Tracey added.

 _Wimps! No one should have to climb that mountain, especially not for a Gym Badge! This is about Pokémon, not the physical strength of their trainer!_ Ash was seething, but he didn't voice his opinion, instead turning towards Danny for confirmation.

"It's true, Ash," Danny confirmed. "I'm the Navel Island Gym Leader and I'm also a member of the Orange Crew. I climb with all challengers so I can keep and eye on them as they climb the mountain. Not just to make sure they don't use their Pokémon, but to also make sure that they get all the help they can to climb.

"Now, if you'll follow me, I lead you to your first challenge!" Danny gestured for them to follow.

They all followed Danny, who lead towards a series of hot geysers on one side of the summit. "So, here are the rules, Ash," Danny informed, coming to a stop. "Listen carefully. Matches here are decided in three rounds, and if you can two out of three, you get the Sea-Ruby Badge, understand?" He held up the badge, highlighting the seashell in the centre where a small green stone was held.

They wondered why the badge was called the Sea-Ruby Badge when it clearly had an emerald or green sapphire stone instead, but they decided not to voice it; it was quite the conundrum.

Ash nodded in understanding, waiting for Danny to issue the first challenge.

"First we'll see who can freeze hot water the fastest," Danny continued, gesturing towards two holes in the ground. Ash looked on confused, until hot water shot out of the two geysers. The water rose high into the sky before spreading out to cover the area in water. As the water hit the surface, it quickly melted the snow around it before re-freezing.

"That means they're going to have to use ice-type attacks," Tracey explained.

"Doesn't that kind of limit the number of trainers that can participate?" Misty questioned, remembering her argument during Ash's last gym battle. "Not everyone has a Pokémon that knows an ice-type attack. It's like the Mikan Gym; you had to have a water-type, or you couldn't challenge the gym."

As if on que, Danny summoned his Pokémon. "Go, Nidoqueen!" The hulking, blue, bipedal Pokémon raised her two arms into the air, growling triumphantly. "I have a Pokémon that knows Ice Beam, if a trainer that comes up here doesn't have a Pokémon that can freeze the geyser, I'll freeze it for them, but they lose the first round."

"So, Ice-type attacks, huh? I guess I'll have to go with Lapras!" Ash exclaimed, releasing his Pokémon. Lapras squealed with joy upon being summoned.

They waited for the geyser to spew water again before the race could start, each Pokémon eyeing the geysers determinedly.

Suddenly, hot water burst forth from the geyser, and both trainers made their move. "Ice Beam!"

Both Pokémon launched a freezing beam of ice at the same time, but it was clear that Nidoqueen's was stronger.

Quickly, the water from the geysers froze, the ice forming from the outside, travelling inwards as more water burst forth. Lapras gave her all, but it was clear that Nidoqueen's attack was far stronger.

"Hang in there, Lapras," Ash encouraged, but Danny had once last ace up his sleeve.

"Full power, Nidoqueen!" The beam of ice that shot from Nidoqueen's horn doubled in size, instantly freezing the last of the water.

Ash, Misty, and Tracey looked on in shock; hardly able to believe how easy it was for Danny and his Nidoqueen. "Well, it looks like I win the first round," Danny stated bluntly.

Meanwhile, Lapras continued to freeze her geyser. It was clear that she was struggling, but she didn't give up until the entire geyser was frozen.

"Well, done, Lapras," Ash commended before returning his Pokémon. "You did great, but it wasn't your day."

* * *

After the frozen geysers were cut, and the ice laid down on the ground, Danny explained the second challenge. "In the second round we'll compete at sculpting that ice." He directed everyone towards the sign behind him. "The first one to carve out this ice sled, using only three Pokémon wins. But remember, Ash, you are already down one challenge, so choose your three Pokémon wisely. If you lose this one, you lose the match."

"I already know exactly who I'm going to use!" Ash declared. He grabbed two of his Poké Balls, summoning the Pokémon. "Pikachu." He pointed towards his first Pokémon. "Ivysaur!" The Pokémon waved his vines enthusiastically. "And Charizard!" But the fire-type looked none too pleased; this wasn't a battle, it was some kind of gimmick!

Danny released his own Pokémon, instructing them to stand on both sides of the ice.

Ash's Pokémon followed his instructions, standing on either side of their own slab of ice.

"Ready?" Danny questioned. When Ash nodded, he began the match. "Let's go!"

While Danny's Pokémon got to work, quickly shattering the ice, all bar one of Ash's Pokémon began to carve theirs. Charizard, who still looked displeased, decided to lay down instead, and have a nap.

One Pokémon down, and even with Ivysaur's vines and Pikachu's Iron Tail, the carving of the ice was going too slow, so Ash turned towards his third Pokémon in annoyance. "Hey, come on, Charizard! I need you to do this! I can't win without you!" Charizard ignored him, and Ash knew he'd have to bribe the Pokémon to get him to do it. "I'm sorry I didn't use you during the last tournament! How about this, if you help me today, you'll be the first Pokémon I use the next time I battle? And if you're not, you can fry me, but only a bit."

Charizard contemplated the offer before agreeing. The large dragon-like Pokémon quickly rose to his feet and walked towards the slab of ice. He unleashed a powerful burst of flames, quickly moulding the ice into shape.

Ivysaur and Pikachu looked on apprehensively, annoyed that all their hard work was useless as the sled was moulded within seconds by Charizard's flames.

Danny gasped in shock; his Pokémon were nearly done, but Ash's Charizard had won him the challenge. "I guess you're the winner of this round." He smiled, declaring that the final round would commence soon.

"Alright!" Ash declared in excitement. "We did it!"

* * *

With both sleds complete, it was time for the final round. With the help of Danny's Pokémon, both sleds were pushed to edge of the summit, where a small line had been drawn and a banner with the word 'START' was erected.

"Well, it's all down hill from here," Misty muttered realising the final test was a race.

"This is the final challenge," Danny explained. "The first person to reach the goal line at the bottom of the mountain wins. You must choose three Pokémon to ride in the sled with you. They may leave the sled at any time during the race, but yourself and all three Pokémon must be inside the sled as it crosses the finish line. Understand?"

"Yeah." Ash nodded, wearily; he'd dreaded the climb up the mountain, and now he was going to have to slid down it!

They both climbed into their sled, Danny summoning his Scyther, Electrode, and Geodude, while Ash had Pikachu, Ivysaur, and Wartortle with him.

"Before we begin, Ash," Danny stated. "I like to give trainer's one piece of advice; use the environment to your advantage!"

"I'll try!" Ash replied, unsure of what Danny meant.

They waited as the first red light appeared on the gantry, quickly followed by another, and then finally, when the green light appeared, the race began.

Ivysaur pushed off with his powerful vines, giving them an instant speed boost as they raced down the mountain.

"Right! Now left! Hold it there!" Danny instructed his Pokémon, maintaining a stead balance as they raced down.

But Ash wasn't having as much luck. "A little to the left! I mean the right!" With only Ivysaur's vines to steer them, it was quickly becoming difficult to maintain control at such a high speed. "Not that much! We're going too fast!" He tried to warn his Pokémon, but it was already too late as they suddenly span out of control.

Ivysaur tried to place his vines down to stop them, but it wasn't enough, and Ash knew how to help him. "Quickly, Pikachu, hold onto the side and use Iron Tail to slow us down!"

Following his order, Pikachu gripped onto the side of the sled with Ash and Wartortle's help, smashing his glowing tail into the ground. With Ivysaur's vines, and Pikachu's tail, they managed to regain control, coming to a stop. He sighed, grateful that they hadn't been killed

"Too bad, Ash!" Danny called from up ahead. "You're way too far behind to catch up to me now!"

Ash watched as Danny disappeared further down the mountain, a look of determination appearing on his face. He turned towards his Pokémon, eyeing each of them. "You guys ready to prove him wrong?" All three Pokémon cheered in response, the same look appearing on their faces. "Then let's do this, Ivysaur!"

Ivysaur pushed off with his vines and they again took off down the mountain. Quickly, the snowy surface disappeared, replaced by the rocky ground underneath. As the two environments changed, their speed reduced dramatically, and Ash realised they wouldn't win unless they sped up.

Looking around, he tried o figure out a way to increase his sled's speed on such a rough surface. _If only it had less friction!_ That's when it hit him, an idea forming in his mind. He turned towards his water-type "Wartortle, I need you to use Water Gun out the front of the sled! Make the surface in front of us as wet as possible!" Next, he turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, I need you to use Agility and Iron Tail. Destroy any large rock's that Wartortle's Water Gun won't turn into mud. Ivysaur, you keep steering, but make sure we're always on the sludge!"

Wartortle sat on Ash's lap, aiming at the surface in front of them. As the rocks turned to sludge, Ash noticed a clear increase of speed as the sled slid over the near frictionless surface. Pikachu raced ahead of the sled, using Agility to dramatically increase his speed and destroy any large rocks that were in the way.

"That's it, guys!" Ash encouraged. "You're doing it!" The sled was racing down the mountain now, nearly as fast as it was at the beginning of the race, but Ash didn't know if they would catch up; he could only hope they did.

* * *

"Good, we're almost at the finish line," Danny stated as they approached. "Just a few more seconds."

Misty and Tracey stood at the finish line, waiting for the winner. "Look!" Misty exclaimed, realising a sled was approaching.

"Who is it?" Tracey questioned, hoping it was their friend.

"I…" Misty focused on the driver, trying to get a better look. "Think it's Danny!"

"Looks like I'm the winner!" Danny declared. He was sure they'd won; no one had come from behind before. But he was wrong, as Ash and his Pokémon suddenly appeared behind them, gaining fast.

"Hang on!" Ash told his Pokémon; they were travelling so fast that the passed Danny in a matter of seconds, racing away towards the finish line. Pikachu had since returned to sled since there weren't any large rocks or boulders in their way.

"Here comes, Ash!" Misty and Tracey exclaimed.

Before they knew it, Ash's sled had passed the finish line, winning the race. But Ivysaur couldn't stop the sled, barrelling passed the finish and straight into the ocean behind it.

A massive wave splashed up as they collided with the water, and Ash was sure he had whiplash, but that wouldn't stop him from hugging his Pokémon in joy.

"He won," Tracey agreed, completely shocked.

Danny's sled came to a stop at the finish line, the man as equally as shocked as the others, but a smile quickly adorned his face. "He beat me."

"That sure was a rough ride," Ash stated, rising to his feet.

"Ash?" Danny questioned, walking towards the younger boy, concerned. When Ash responded, Danny smiled again. "You were great. You chose your Pokémon well, and you won two out of the three challenges. Now I'd like to give you something you really deserve, Ash, the Sea-Ruby Badge, it's yours!" He extended his hand out, revealing the badge on his palm.

Ash looked confused for a second, before snatching the badge from Danny. "I did it!" he excitedly exclaimed. "I earned the Sea-Ruby Badge!" He quickly turned towards the three Pokémon around him. "Thanks guys, I couldn't have done it without you!"

Just off to the side, Tracey and Misty watched on with a smile on their faces. "That was great," Tracey stated.

"Yeah, but…" A look of sadness appearing on Misty's face.

"But?"

"But Danny lost!" Misty replied.

"Seriously!" Tracey exclaimed, throwing his hands up in apprehension; he really needed to call Brock.

* * *

A long time ago…

Talking with Blue wasn't something Red was often used to. In fact, talking wasn't something he did very often at all. He'd found-after leaving his mother to go on his Pokémon journey-that he was starting to open up to people in a way he hadn't before.

First there was Misty Williams; the enigmatic, witty, and feisty girl who'd taken a liking to him after he rescued her from her Gyarados. Then there was Green; the carefree girl who had a problem with authority and nearly died because of it. And finally, there was Blue; the old acquaintance and rival who'd suddenly opened up to him.

Red mused that the sudden change in Blue had to do with the incident in Celadon City, and for the first time ever he noticed the smallest amount of respect in his rivals' eyes; Blue had suffered during the ordeal and was grateful for what Red did to save him.

Their conversation stagnated, and became awkward, as Red and Blue lounged around in the foyer of the Pokémon Centre, when Green suddenly came barging in. "Guys!" she screeched, coming to a halt next to them. "It's happening."

For a moment Red look confused, studying Green's anxious expression, before realisation suddenly struck him, his eyes going wide. "Oh! we better hurry then!"

"Wait?" Blue questioned, giving both of them an equally puzzled look. "What's happening."

Red looked towards Green before turning to Blue. Sighing, he responded. "You remember those guys that used you?"

"Yeah." Blue nodded.

"Well, when I rescued Green from them, I overheard one of them mention Silph Co." Red took a breath before continuing. The whole experience wasn't exactly something he liked remembering, and he couldn't stop the sound of gun shots ringing in his ear. "We've been here watching the company's headquarters ever since."

"And," Blue pushed him to go on.

"Well…" Red didn't know how to respond, but Green did.

"Those guys, they just attacked Silph Co." Green said it so bluntly that it shocked Red; he'd been trying to be gentle with such matters around Blue since the ordeal he'd gone through.

"So?" Blue looked puzzled again. "Why don't you just notify the police."

"I've been down that route, they won't listen to kids like us," Red explained. "They'd think we were making such a big thing up."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Think about it," Red replied. "Three kids barge into a police station talking about a criminal organisation taking control of a multinational corporation's headquarters without anyone getting word out. Would you believe it?"

"Well, no," Blue admitted. "But how do you know word didn't get out?"

"That's what we're going to see now," Green explained. "If no one turns up to help, we're going to have to help them ourselves."

"This seems like a terrible idea," Blue muttered.

"It's the only idea we've got!" Red shot back. "You can stay here if you'd like!"

"Oh, no, I'm going," Blue stated, shaking his head. "If only to keep your ass out of trouble."

* * *

Miya waded past the unconscious workers, placing the metal case she held on the desk in front of her. Taking over Silph Co. had been a breeze, with the knock out gas disseminated through the ventilation system as planned, and she was now free to do what she was there for. She removed the multi-coloured stone from the case and placed it inside a clamping device. The energy radiating off the stone sent shivers down her spine.

She'd known about the stone's effects when she was looking for it, but to actually feel it was something else entirely. Ever since she had the stone, she felt like she could take on the world. She was faster, stronger, smarter, and yet, she couldn't get rid of the niggling feeling that having the stone so close to her was a bad idea. She sighed; it wouldn't be her responsibility once she was done here.

Accessing the computer next to her, she fired up the industrial grade diamond cutting tool the lab contained and entered the configuration she wanted carved from the stone. As the long arm of the cutting device began rotating around the stone, Miya entered other configurations she required; there were eight in total, all resembling the Kanto League badges. "Let's hope this works," she muttered, knowing that every other machine they'd tried failed.

The drill span incredibly fast, whizzing as it approached the stone. Miya watched with bated breath, pleading for the drill to work. The diamond head drill finally collided with the stone, sending material flying everywhere, but instead of shattering to pieces like the other devices, the drill carved its first line in the stone.

She smiled, closing her eyes. She listened to the drill hum, letting the feeling of relief wash over her. For two long years she searched for the stone, and now her mission was nearly over. The grunts around her looked at her confused. She didn't mind however; they would never know what she'd been through to get the stone.

With her time now free while the configurations were carved from the stone, Miya decided to see how the rest of the operation was going. "Keep an eye on the machine," she ordered. "Notify me when it is done or if anything goes wrong."

"Yes, mam."

* * *

Red, Blue and Green arrived at Silph Co. a short time later. They wandered around the perimeter, noting the uncharacteristic quietness of the large company they'd watched for the last few weeks. At any given time, people would be coming and going, with security checking their identification. But now the place seemed deserted.

There wasn't a whimper of sound from the large office building or any shipments coming and going from the manufacturing plant behind it. Blue looked up concerned, gauging the possibilities as his eyes reached the top of the tall skyscraper. "Something's off," he muttered.

"You think?" Green stated. "Come on, I found a way inside."

"Inside?" Blue questioned in shock. "How are we going to get inside."

"You'll see," Green replied, instructing them to follow her.

Before long they found themselves at a rear entrance to the plant, but there was one small snag; it was locked. "Great! How are we supposed to get in now?" Blue smugly commented, smirking; he knew this was exactly what would happen.

"With this!" Blue's smirk instantly faded as Green smugly pulled out a key card from her bag. "Got it off a security guard a couple of days ago."

"You stole it," Blue shot. "What makes you think that the guard didn't report it missing? They may have locked the card out. And you." He turned to Red. "You're not saying anything about this, what gives?"

"I've gotten used to it." Red shrugged. "Best not to argue about it with her."

"I don't believe this!" Blue blurted a little louder than they would have liked. "You sit back and let her do what she wants. You, with your holier than thou attitude!"

While the boys argued, Green placed the key card on the reader, waiting until there was a sudden beep. The door opened, revealing a small room inside. "Ladies first," Green mocked, pulling the two boys from their argument.

Licking their wounds, Red and Blue entered followed by Green; they'd both clearly underestimated the young girl.

But their minor triumph was impeded when they found the room contained another locked door; this one the key card didn't unlock. "I guess we'll have to find another way in," Red groaned.

"No, we won't," Green stated, searching her bag. "This door requires a key." She pointed towards the lock as she pulled out a set of tools. "Luckily, I know how to pick them."

"Geez, if I didn't know you were from Pallet Town, I would have asked Red where he found you," Blue stated.

Green looked at Blue, stunned. "You know I'm from Pallet Town?"

"Unlike this guy here." Blue thumbed Red. "I remember you from the day we got our Pokémon. You were the girl that stole Squirtle."

Red looked at the girl, replaying the day in his mind. He remembered collecting Saur, then battling Blue and his Charmander. There was a commotion, and he only remembered seeing a small figure race away from the lab with Professor Oak yelling after them. He didn't get a good look at the figure, but they appeared to be young, and have long brown hair.

He'd seen Green with a young Squirtle recently. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "It was you!" Red exclaimed. "Professor Oak said that Squirtle had been stolen by a young girl!"

"Guys, can we not talk about this right now?" Green whined. "Yes, I'm a thief. Yes, I stole Squirtle, but we have more pressing matters to attend to!"

"Fine," Red agreed. "But we're discussing this afterwards."

* * *

Miya strode through the upper levels of the building, making her way towards the CEO's office. She knew that's where Giovanni would be and was determined to find out how the meeting was going. As she got closer, she realised how well that gas had infiltrated the building, passing the sleeping forms of several executives.

While she had expected the gas-more like concentrated sleep powder-to work on the lower levels where it had been placed in the ventilation system, she had no idea how effective it would be the further up the building the gas went.

"I don't think you fully understand the situation," she heard Giovanni warn. "We've taken over the whole building. We've jammed any communication to and from this place. There is no one coming to help you."

"Hah!" she heard another man scoff. "And you think I'll take your word for it?"

Miya leaned against the double door of the office, peering inside. She watched as a Giovanni strode towards a large mahogany desk, a sly smile on his lips as he waved a gun around threateningly. Behind the desk sat a large muscly man; nothing like Miya had expected. His well press suit heightened the definition of his muscles, and his vibrant red hair stood out against the plane black suit. The one thing that really surprised Miya was that the man didn't look even a little bit intimidated, instead the look of steely resolve covered his features.

"Not my word," Giovanni continued, placing a document on the table. "But we've had this place on lock down for over an hour, and yet no one has come. There hasn't been a single police car show up; there would have been one by now."

The CEO didn't take his eyes off Giovanni as document was slid in front of him, clearly gaging the seriousness of the Rocket Admin's threat. Glancing down, the CEO scoffed. "You expect me to hand over my company?"

"I expect you to do a hell of a lot more than that," Giovanni explained. "But yes, to put it simply, we want your company."

"My father built this company," the CEO continued. "I'll never hand it over to the likes of you. Threaten me all you want, I'm not afraid of dying."

"I imagine such a man of your reputation would certainly not, Mr. Williams," Giovanni agreed. If he was hoping to find any form of weakness in Mr. Williams' resolve, the CEO clearly didn't show it, making him follow through with his threat. "But I wonder, what would you do if anything were happen to one of your daughters?"

"If you know my reputation, you'd know that I don't take kindly to threats, especially one's against my family."

Miya chose that moment to enter. "Everything is secure, sir," she said, earning a surprised and annoyed look from Giovanni; she wasn't exactly supposed to be there, but when did she ever do exactly what she was told?

Sure, Madam Boss liked her; she was one of the only members to have an impeccable record with a ninety-nine percent success rate, but she still did a few things her own way.

"Good, anything else to report?" Giovanni questioned, hoping Mr. Williams wouldn't pick up on his shock that she was there.

"Only that the badges will be ready soon," Miya explained

Giovanni's eyes lit up at that, a smile adorning his face. "That's some of the best news I've had all day!"

Mr. Williams eyes darted between the two Rockets, trying to gage the strange situation he found himself in. He could tell that both of them had some form of history based on the way Giovanni acted towards the woman's presence. For a moment, a sickly sly smile crossed Mr. Williams' face; he could use this. But before either of the two Rocket Admins could notice, the smile disappeared, the same stern look covering his features as before. He quickly pressed a button underneath his desk, releasing a small pistol that slid from a hidden canopy.

"Well, as you can see, Mr. Williams, everything appears to be in order." Giovanni turned back towards the desk, strutting forward. "I would suggest that you sign the document or some-"

Giovanni was cut off as a loud explosion shook the entire building. Taking it as his opportunity, Mr. Williams rose to his feet and lunged at Miya before either of them could react, wrapping one arm around her neck while the other pointed the gun towards her head.

Mr. Williams turned towards Giovanni. "Doesn't seem like everything is secure now, does it?" Mr. Williams stated, pulling back the hammer on the gun. He draged Miya towards the exit before looking back at Giovanni "I wouldn't follow if you know what's best for her."

The situation turned dire so quickly for Giovanni that he froze, completely paralysed, wondering what to do next; he was in quite a stalemate.

* * *

Green groaned as she tried to pick herself up, her muscles aching, her head spinning. Groggily, she raised her hand towards her head, quickly retracting as she felt pain on contact.

Looking at her hand, she wondered how it suddenly had a red stain on it. She couldn't remember much; only that she had run into Team Rocket, summoned one of her Pokémon and ordered it to Self-Destruct so she could escape.

Even in her deliriousness she could tell that the place was a mess. Fire rose from a short distance down the hall, concrete and steel covered the floor, an alarm blared senselessly-although she couldn't hear it that well-and she was sure she could just make out two bodies lying on the ground not too far from her.

Her vision, for a moment, appeared to return to her and she finally realised the level of devastation around her, but it quickly faded as her vision grew cloudy. The sprinkler system came on, and she winced as the cold water landed on her head. She felt light-headed, she wanted to just lay there and sleep, but she willed herself to remain conscious.

She didn't know why, but something inside her told her to remain awake; like the peaceful escape into dreamland was a bad thing. But she was losing fast, her head aching more and more, as the drowsiness took over.

Suddenly, she felt someone grab her. She couldn't tell who it was, but she marginally made out the red jacket the person wore.

"Green?" Red asked, concern evident in his voice. He'd known splitting up was a bad idea, but he couldn't argue with his companions when Green suggested it, and Blue agreed.

" _We could cover more ground!_ " He remembered Green arguing. If only she could see what that decision had caused. But Red had the distinct feeling that Green had no idea what was going on at the moment, given the massive bleeding gash on her head.

Hoisting her up, Red placed Green's arm over his shoulder. Slowly, he carried her past the bodies of the two Team Rocket grunts in the hallway. Dragging her around the corner, safe from the fire and debris, he slowly lowered her back down onto the ground.

"Just remain here for a minute, I'm going to go see if anyone else needs help." He waited momentarily for a reply, only to receive a garbled sentence and a strange smile from Green, who shakily turned her head away.

Red sighed, racing back towards the fires. Stopping, he looked at the two grunts on the floor, his vision slightly distorted by the smoke. Coughing, he leaned down to feel for a pulse, but neither of them had one. Dread spread quickly through him; there was nothing he could do for them, but he could at least figure out why the explosion had happened.

Entering the room just off the hallway, the one with the wall blasted out, he found an electrode unconscious on the ground. Realising what happened, he wondered how the Pokémon had managed to do so much damage when their Self-Destruct attack only had a limited range.

Looking back into the hallway, he noticed a Poké Ball on the ground where Green had been. Quickly picking it up, he held it out towards the unconscious Pokémon, returning it. With the Pokémon secure, Red ventured back into the room.

But he had to make it quick, with the fires spreading faster than the sprinkler system could contain them. He found several unconscious workers, and one by one, dragged them out of the room. Finally, after have one last glance through, he found the room empty. He turned to leave, but something caught his attention as it reflected the light from the fire.

Walking towards the strange multi-coloured object, he leaned down and clutched it in his hand. He recognised the shape immediately, having won the same shaped badge from Misty. But it didn't feel like any ordinary badge; it somehow gave him strength the like of which he'd never felt before.

Placing the stone into his pocket, he made his way back to his friend, contemplating his next move. Instead of having one person to carry to safety, he suddenly had eight, and he was sure in his small frame that he wouldn't be able to drag the others very far; just getting them all out of the room had nearly exhausted him.

Deciding to get Green out first, as she was clearly worse off than the others, he picked up the groggy girl, hoisting her arm over her shoulder like before. "I'll get you outside and then I'll get you some help."

They past several hallways, the smoke thinning the further they went, but when they were finally close to the front entrance, they found their way blocked by several Team Rocket grunts. Quickly, he summoned Pika and Saur, ordering them to attack the Pokémon Team Rocket sent at them.

The battle was short and sharp, with his Pikachu and Ivysaur easily dismissing the countless Raticate and Ekans they sent out. Finally, after growing annoyed at the seemingly endless line of Pokémon, Red ordered Ivysaur to knock the Rocket grunts out.

Struggling to pass the unconscious bodies with Green drearily hanging on, Red's frustration grew. Suddenly, another Raticate rounded the corner, and Red's patience vanished. "Ivysaur, Solar Beam!" He pointed towards the new Pokémon, who looked confused, as Ivysaur charged up his attack in record time.

That's when he felt it. The stone in his pocket suddenly radiated an energy he'd never felt before. The energy leaked out of his jacket, racing towards Ivysaur, before wrapping itself around the Pokémon.

Red tried to stay the attack, but he was too late as his Pokémon unleashed a beam of pure energy so powerful that it blinded them. The stone had amplified Ivysaur's strength, and there was nothing he could do.

The beam smashed into Raticate, sending it flying into the wall behind it. With a thud, it landed.

"Raticate!" Blue yelled in concern, appearing from around the corner. Red raced towards his friend, who was crouched down around the silent Pokémon, realising that the Pokémon had been his friend's and not another Rocket grunt's.

Slowly, blood appeared from beneath Raticate's body, quickly pooling. Blue turned the Pokémon over, revealing a massive hole in its stomach that cut deep into its body. Its eyes were lifeless, unmoving.

Red felt his eyes begin to water, his body shaking in shock as Green muttered something incoherent. What had he done?

* * *

 **What will Happen? Find out Next time!**

 **I used Tracey as a sort of voice for myself in this chapter to point out the disgusting side of the episode. While Danny never shows any interest towards Misty, other than their greeting, it really bugged me how she was swooning over a guy that looked like he could've been double her age, let alone the fact she's only ten. At least Rudy is closer in age, so I don't have as much of a problem with that one as I always have with this one.**

 **There will be no super dark themes just yet in the present, but there will be a lot in the past as shown in this chapter. I took the idea for Red accidently killing Blue's Pokémon from the popular theory that your character kills Blue's Raticate in the game.**

 **Because people have been wondering, I'll explain it here. Ash and Misty's eggs will hatch soon. I've finally decided which Pokémon they will each get, so you'll have to wait and see.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)**  
 **Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)**  
 **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Wartortle (Water) (Male)**  
 **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)**  
 **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)**  
 **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)**  
 **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)**  
 **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)**  
 **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Raticate (Normal) (Female)**  
 **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Kingler (Water) (Female)**  
 **Absol (Dark) (Male)**  
 **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)**  
 **Muk (Poison) (Male)**  
 **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)**  
 **Sandslash (Ground) (Male)**  
 **Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)**  
 **Togepi (Fairy) (Male)**  
 **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	11. Chapter 11 - Unintended Consequences

**Hey everyone! Wow, how this site seems have gone down hill over the last couple of years. It seems a lot of the fandom have abandoned it because of it. I mean, now I mainly see three types of people. Firstly, there are the control freaks, those that want to bend every author to their way of writing no matter how good the story is or not. Actually, I bet a lot of those reviewers barely read past the first chapter of any story. I've had one review like it, but not a word since. Then, there are the 'Warners,' who I thought were doing a decent job trying to make people feel better about their story, after the control freaks reviews, at the start but have now fallen into the same trap and seem as nothing but nuisances now. Lastly, there are the trolls, and I bet you know who I mean, that are making stories-that actually go against the rules of the site-or reviewing with just a statement that their ship is better than the other. The worst was when I saw said person make a review that simply said "F-ing go kill yourself," that's all the review said. I reported that one, but nothing has been done about said reviewer.**

 **Anyway, I apologise for the little rant, it's just a silent observation I've made of this site.**

 **Here is the next chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 11 – Unintended Consequences

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" Charles Goodshow greeted, eyeing the many fans inside Indigo Stadium. "The Pokémon League, and I, Charles Goodshow, would like to welcome you to the final of the Tournament of Masters!"

The crowd screamed in excitement, many waving different items that represented the trainer they were cheering for. Charles waited until the crowd died down before continuing. "Before you stand the two trainers that have proven themselves, time and again, that they are the best amongst the best. They've fought bravely, tenaciously, and find themselves ready for one final battle.

"But alas, only one may have the right to challenge the Pokémon Master for his title! And today, these two will battle it out for that right!" He gestured towards one side of the field. "On the green side we have none other than Johto's Crown Prince, winner of this tournament eight years ago… SILVER!"

Silver entered the stadium, waving to the crowd dismissively as he approached the trainer's box. While there were some cheers, Silver knew he wouldn't be the popular trainer in this match. No matter, he didn't care what people thought of him.

"On the red side we have Kanto and Johto's very own Champion! And winner of the last Tournament of Masters! LANCE, THE DRAGON MASTER!"

Lance fluttered his cape, entering the stadium. He was far friendlier to the fans that Silver, smiling and waving with joy. It was clear who the fans were cheering for, with rise in noise. He entered his own trainer's box as the railing rose from above the ground, before both trainers were raised several feet above the battlefield.

Goodshow slinked away as the matches referee declared the rules for the match. "This is a full six-on-six battle, with both trainers able to make substitutions at any time!" The crowd went silent, listening to the instructions. While most already knew the rules, it was always prudent to know if anything had changed. "A Pokémon will only be declared unable to battle when its trainer deems so!"

* * *

"What does that mean?" Ash questioned, listening closely as the referee explained the rules.

They'd decided to rent a small cabin for the week, allowing Misty to train her Pokémon in a stable environment for the upcoming Water Tournament. Taking a break, they'd found themselves seated in front of the cabin's television to watch the match.

While Ash and Tracey were sharing the large lounge, Misty sat off to the side, slightly out of sight.

"It's because they're Master's," Tracey explained. "Tournaments for Master ranked trainers operate differently to the rest of the league. If you reach the rank of Master, it is determined that you should know everything about your Pokémon. You should know their strengths, their weaknesses, and how much they can take in battle.

"Only you can determine if your Pokémon is unable to continue. Only you know if your Pokémon can continue."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Misty questioned. "I mean, a Pokémon could die if they're pushed too far."

"It has happened before," Tracey clarified, earning a shocked look from both Ash and Misty. "It's not always the trainer's fault, but some Pokémon have been so determined to win for them that they have died during a battle because they wouldn't accept being returned. Only once a Pokémon is returned to its Poké Ball can it be forfeited by the trainer."

"Now remember!" the referee continued, drawing the attention of the three occupants of the cabin. "The Pokémon you've chosen for this battle will be the one's you'll have to use if you face the Pokémon Master!"

"So, the winner will have to use the same Pokémon they use here against my dad?" Ash wasn't really asking the question; he was trying to clarify the scenario in his own mind.

"Yep!" Tracey confirmed. "The Pokémon Master can only defend their title with the same Pokémon they claimed their title with. Only in extreme circumstances can a different Pokémon be used, such as; one of the Pokémon dying, or is too weak to battle. To make sure that the challenger doesn't just choose Pokémon that have a type advantage, they have to use the same Pokémon they used in the final match of the tournament. Sure, you could use Pokémon that have a type advantage against the Pokémon Master's Pokémon in this match, but you run the risk of being disadvantaged against your opponent who may anticipate your strategy."

Both Ash and Misty still looked confused, so he decided to explain it a different way. "Would you run the risk of not facing the Pokémon Master to have a type advantage if you managed to face them? Or would you rather make sure you face the Pokémon Master and worry about that battle later?"

Suddenly, the phone rang, drawing the attention of the three trainers away from the battle. Misty, the first to react, stood up without a word and walked towards the cabin's lone phone. She had no idea who would be calling; she hadn't given anyone the number.

She didn't recognise the number but decided to answer the phone anyway. "Hello?" she questioned. She waited for a reply when she heard a familiar voice on the other end. "Oh! Hey, Brock! How's your internship going?"

This drew Ash's attention further, intrigued to find out how his friend was doing. But he could only hear one side of the conversation, making him rely on Misty's reactions to determine how his friend was.

"That's great!" Misty continued, intently listening to her friend's story. "Oh! Okay, I'll get him for you." She left the phone briefly, approaching Ash and Tracey. "Hey, Tracey, Brock wants to speak with you." She looked at him questioningly.

"I'll explain later," Tracey responded, answering her unasked question as he rose to his feet. "Thank you." He approached the phone, answering it quietly. "Hello, Brock, this is Tracey."

"Hi Tracey," Brock continued on the other end. "You called earlier? Said you had something important to discuss?"

"Yes," Tracey confirmed, his voice barely above a whisper so the others wouldn't hear. "I needed to talk to you about Ash and Misty. They're fighting."

"Oh, that!" Brock chuckled. "Don't worry about that, it's normal!"

"No-no-no, I'm not talking about their daily yelling match," Tracey explained. "Although, I don't think that is normal. I mean that they're _fighting_ , they're not talking to each other."

"Ooh." Brock replied, realising the gravity of the situation. But Brock's next words completely threw Tracey off. "What did Ash do?"

"How did you know it was Ash?"

"If it's one thing I know, it's how those two act," Brock explained. "If Misty was responsible, she would fret and be all nervous; she would try and fix things. But Ash, he doesn't see what he did because Misty hides it well. Generally, if they're not talking, it's Ash's fault. So, I'll ask again, what did Ash do?"

"That's the issue, I have no idea, it happened while I was gone, and I don't know how to fix it. Could it just blow over?"

"Unlikely," Brock replied. "Misty is as stubborn as they come. If she feel's hurt, it will take a monumental apology to fix things."

"But how can I fix it?"

"You can't, it's up to Ash to apologise. The only thing you can do is try and make Ash see what he's done wrong."

"I can't do that if I can't figure out what he's done wrong!" Tracey explained.

"Well, I would suggest you try, and fast," Brock warned. "The last time their fighting was this bad, Misty ran away, and Ash ended up in a coma."

"A Coma!" Tracey unintentionally exclaimed, drawing the attention of the two trainers in question.

"I don't think it will be that bad this time," Brock reassured, musing over the situation. "You know what, send Ash over. I'll see what I can do."

"Sure." Tracey nodded, turning towards the television. "Hey, Ash, Brock would like to talk to you!"

"Coming!" Ash replied, rising to his feet. He took one last glance at the battle between Lance and Silver before taking the phone from Tracey. "Hey, Brock, what's up?"

* * *

"Rhyperior, Return!" The hulking brown-grey rock-type Pokémon laid motionless on the ground as the red light from Silver's Poké Ball encompassed the Pokémon. "Rhyperior is unable to battle!" Silver declared.

"Would you look at that folks!" the announcer blared through the speakers. "While it appeared that Silver had the upper hand, defeating Lance's Kingdra with relative ease, Lance's Gyarados evened the score and then went one step further by absolutely destroying Silver's Rhyperior!"

"Lance! Lance! Lance!" the crowd chanted.

Silver growled, his annoyance growing. Suddenly, his face became a complete mask. Sighing, he smiled at Lance. "Well done." He applauded. "But it'll take more than your overgrown shrimp to defeat my next Pokémon! Ursaring! Smack Down!"

Ursaring materialised onto the battlefield, its clawed hands already mere centre metres apart. Orange energy formed between its hands, growing quickly before Lance or Gyarados could react. Ursaring suddenly charged, placing the orange ball of energy in one hand. When it drew close, it threw the ball straight at Gyarados.

The ball of energy exploded on impact. The explosion was so powerful that it smacked Gyarados back onto the ground, hard.

"Now, Ursaring, Earthquake!" Ursaring, who was relatively close to Gyarados, smashed its paw into the ground, sending a shockwave straight towards Gyarados that it could not escape. The violent shaking knocked Gyarados around, who was trying to lift itself off the ground.

But it was too much for the Atrocious Pokémon, knocking it out. "Return!" Lance sighed, placing the Poké Ball back on his belt. "You've trained Ursaring well, I wouldn't expect anything less. Gyarados is unable to battle! Go Hydreigon! Dragon Rush!"

Hydreigon exploded out of its Poké Ball, racing towards Ursaring in a furore, blue energy forming around its body.

Silver was quick to act, knowing that his Pokémon was caught on the other side of the battlefield. "Quick, Protect!"

Hydreigon's three heads glowed with the energy of a single dragon as it collided with Ursaring. Smock covered the battlefield, and neither trainer knew if their Pokémon had succeeded or failed.

But as the smoke cleared, Ursaring was still standing; a glowing ball of energy surrounding Hibernator Pokémon. Hydreigon, who's attack had been ineffective, circled Ursaring, its three heads snarling angrily.

Both trainers studied the field, trying to come up with a plan that would give them the advantage. They both new that Pokémon battling wasn't just about how strong your Pokémon was, but how well you knew that Pokémon and how they could connect to the other Pokémon in their team.

"Ursaring, Return!" Silver called back his Pokémon before summoning another. "Weavile, Hail!"

Upon its release, Weavile's body shone with a light-blue hue. Thick clouds formed above the battlefield. Around the stadium, the temperature felt like it had dropped several degrees in a matter of seconds.

The clouds condensed, suddenly releasing a barrage of icy hail stones powered by strong winds. The hail stones rained down on the battlefield, hitting both Weavile and Hydreigon.

Lance, however, didn't look the least bit worried. Smiling, but unable to see his opponent due to the darkness caused by the clouds, Lance called out to Silver. "Nice try! Hydreigon, Sunny Day!"

Hydreigon's central head opened it mouth, releasing a white beam of light straight into the sky that extinguished the clouds. But as the light returned to the battlefield, Lance realised his mistake.

Suddenly, Hydreigon's head was smashed into by Ursaring's fist. What followed was a barrage of quickly close attacks that left the three-headed Pokémon off guard.

"Now, Ursaring, Hammer Toss!"

The crowd murmured, having never heard of such an attack, But Ursaring knew exactly what to do. Its right arm began to glow before it smashed it into Hydreigon's central head. The force of the attack sent Hydreigon flying high into the air, but that wasn't it of Ursaring. Quickly jumping into the air, Ursaring followed Hydreigon, who was too stunned to counter. Ursaring grabbed hold of Hydreigon's central head, before rotating its body and throwing the dragon-type back towards the ground.

With a thud, Hydreigon's body formed a small crater in the battlefield. Dust formed around the hole as Ursaring landed back on its feet on Silver's side of the field.

"Miraculous, Folks!" the announcer shrieked. "Silver used Weavile's Hail attack to distract Lance; allowing him to re-summon Ursaring closer to Hydreigon. Unabated, Ursaring unleashed a flurry of fighting-type moves that stunned the Pokémon. And then! To top it all off, Ursaring finished its attack with a combination of Hammer Arm and Seismic Toss! IT may have truly turned the tide of this match! But wait! What's this? Hydreigon is getting back up!"

Lance was about to recall his Pokémon, believing it was unconscious when it suddenly flew back into the sky. "You still think you can go, Hydreigon?" Lances question was answered when Hydreigon suddenly unleashed a ball of energy from its central head straight at Ursaring.

Ursaring dodged it easily. Silver smiled; his Pokémon had gotten under the skin of Hydreigon.

Lance knew it too, meaning he couldn't order his Pokémon to make any strategic moves. This was about Hydreigon's pride, and the only way to abate the fire inside the Pokémon would be a full-on assault. "Hydreigon, Outrage!"

Three pairs of eyes suddenly glowed red, Hydreigon's whole body surrounded by the same hue, as it flew towards Ursaring at a ferocious pace. Using its entire body, Hydreigon bit, clawed, and repeatedly smashed into Ursaring, who was having difficult time deflecting the attacks.

After a few minutes, Silver grew tired of watching his Pokémon on a defensive. "Ursaring, Brick Break! Throw that thing back to Lance!"

As Hydreigon continued to attack from every direction, Ursaring lowered its right arm. Absorbing some of the attacks, Ursaring focused its energy on charging up the attack. Suddenly, as Hydreigon brought its central head down, Ursaring threw its clawed fist up.

The attack collided with Hydreigon's central neck. There was an all thundering crack as Hydreigon was thrown across the battlefield. It landed, sliding to a halt in front of Lance.

The crowd went silent. No cheers, no murmurs, just stunned silence as Hydreigon struggled on ground. It tried to move but couldn't; its neck was broken. While two heads moved around slowly, the central head was bent at right angles to the rest of its body.

Silently, shaking, Lance recalled his Pokémon. Forfeiting it, he placed the Poké Ball into a small tube that quickly sucked it away. He looked down, where the Poké Ball had once been before murmuring to himself.

Turning towards Silver, he grabbed his next Poké Ball.

* * *

"I don't remember the battlefield having that sort of contraption when Ash was battling on it," Misty noted, watching sadly as the Poké Ball vanished.

"There in place in case one of the Pokémon is severely injured," Tracey explained. "The tube has a direct line to the nearest Pokémon Centre. It allows their Pokémon to receive immediate help."

"That makes sense," Misty agreed. "I feel sorry for Hydreigon, it may never be able to battle again. Silver should be more careful."

"That's how a lot of these matches are," Tracey explained. "Remember, It's not Silver's fault. Lance had a chance to forfeit his Pokémon when he knew it was out of control. Instead, he believed it could continue to battle. He made a choice, and now he has to live with the unintended consequences."

"Hey, Misty?" Ash called, interrupting their conversation.

"Yeah?" Misty begrudgingly questioned.

"Brock would like to talk to you."

* * *

A long time ago…

Mark dragged Miya through the building, holding the gun close to prevent Giovanni from attempting to rescue her. Whether Giovanni was following them, he didn't know, but he wasn't taking any chances.

He backed around corners slowly, making sure he wouldn't be caught off guard, as Miya struggled in his arms. "Stop struggling!" he growled, placing the barrel of the gun against her head. "This will be over soon. If you're quiet, I might even let you live!"

She stopped struggling, her body going limp except for her legs. She'd been apart of hostage situations before, just never on the receiving end. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing, if you keep your mouth shut," he warned. "You're just my insurance policy, now keep moving!" He dragged her down the hallway before coming to a large open metallic door. "This door should be closed!" he barked.

Miya recognised the room straight away as the sever room where all of Silph Co.'s prototypes, experiments, and information was housed. She remembered reading the blueprints for the site, with the room one of the few rooms they had no scope for. If she remembered correctly, and she had a pretty sharp memory, Giovanni had commissioned one of the tech heads to break into the room and steal as much data as possible.

 _But if the door's open, that would mean…_ Her eyes widened in realisation. They turned a corner and found the Rocket grunt in front of the main computer terminal. "Run!" She tried to warn him as two shots rang around the room. The grunt fell limp, collapsing over the terminal, blood running down his back where he'd been shot.

Approaching, Mark threw Miya to the ground before removing the body from the terminal. "Move, and you join your friend," he warned. He pulled out his cell phone, dialling as he accessed the company files. "Michelle, Silph Co. is under attack. I'm transferring all files to the backup site, I need you to secure the network afterwards. Also, send a helicopter to pick me up!" He hung up, placing the phone back in his pocket.

Minutes passed as he transferred all the files to the back up site, his gun constantly pointed towards the Miya. "There." He sighed, pressing the final button. With all the files transferred, he turned towards Miya. "Now, come on," he growled, grabbing her by the arm. "We're heading for the roof."

* * *

Red looked down guiltily. He'd killed a Pokémon, albeit by accident, and couldn't help but scold himself, but what made him feel guilty was what he was about to do. Hoisting Green further over his shoulder to help support her more, he used his free hand to tug on Blue's shirt. "I'm sorry, Blue, but we have to go."

"Go… Go! You're Sorry!" Blue's outburst was expected, but what he hadn't expected was the punch Blue threw in a fit of rage.

The fist collected Red on the chin, knocking him back. He lost his footing, reflexively letting go of Green in the process. They both fell, hitting the tiled floor hard. Red-who had managed to protect himself during the fall-landed in a better position than Green, who fell like a lifeless doll.

"Everything! Everything bad that's happened to me is because of you!" Blue continued his tirade. "You put me in hospital, and then you go and kill my Pokémon!"

Red recovered, looking quickly from Blue to Green. "Green!" he worriedly exclaimed, realising she was unconscious.

Blue's seething rage immediately disappeared, his face draining in colour when he noticed the Green's state. "Is she alright?" he asked, concerned; he hadn't realised she was injured during the whole situation.

"NO!" Red exclaimed, examining her head. "She'd been injured in the explosion that just occurred. I was attempting to get her out when we were attacked."

"That wound doesn't look good," Blue surveyed. "She's lost a lot of blood." Her head was completely caked in her own blood, with droplet raining down from her hair onto her back. "If we don't do something soon, she might die."

"THEN HELP ME!" Red screamed in desperation. "If we get her outside, we might be able to a hospital!"

"Okay," Blue agreed. They both grabbed either side of Green and lifted her up. They began carrying her down the corridor, before Blue quickly turned around to return his lifeless Pokémon to its Poké Ball.

Blue led the way, guiding them towards a garage he'd found while they were split up. Arriving, Blue helped Red load Green into one of the parked cars. Red hopped into the driver's seat as Blue opened the garage door.

With the key in the ignition, Red started car. Blue hopped in and pointed towards the exit. "The hospital isn't far from here."

"I know." Red agreed. "But I've never driven a car before." He put his foot down on the accelerator, hoping he wouldn't crash.

* * *

The wind blew through Mark's suit as he approached the helipad at the top of the building, dragging Miya with him. The helicopter he'd ordered had just landed on the roof, with security piling out of the aircraft.

They surrounded Mark quickly, shoving Miya away as they escorted him towards the helicopter. One guard turned back towards Miya when Mark spoke up. "Leave her! She's dead weight anyway!" The guards piled back into the helicopter, the aircraft taking off moments later.

Stunned, Miya crawled backwards, still facing the helicopter as it rose into the air, her hair blowing in every direction from the wind caused by the blades. The helicopter tilted forward and shot forth, the thumping of the blades decreasing as the aircraft flew further away.

Miya didn't move until the sound of the helicopter was nothing more than a whimper. She stood up, looking out over the city. Silence rang for several seconds before another eerie sound began to ring in her ear; sirens.

They sounded far away, but with how high she was, she was sure they were closer than she thought. Quickly, she regained her composure and raced down the stairs to the helipad, re-entering the building; she had to find out what'd happened in the lab.

* * *

It was chaos, the place had been completely destroyed, and the grunts she'd left in charge had been killed by the explosion that had destroyed the lab. To her luck, she'd found Giovanni there with what was left of their assault team.

"Your safe," he muttered carelessly, searching through debris.

Miya flinched at his tone of voice; he was clearly not happy. "Yes. He let me go once he was safe."

"I wonder why that would be," he added.

"Are accusing me of something?" Miya confronted, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I am!" Giovanni argued back. "But right now, I don't care! We've managed to find 4 Badges, help us find the rest of them and we'll get out of here."

Miya shut her mouth, deciding it was better to search for the badges and get out of there than argue about who she was loyal to.

* * *

The emergency room grew more and more crowded as people were ferried in from Silph Co. Red sat patiently as he waited to hear about the condition of his friend. He's been there for hours but was yet to receive any word.

Blue had already left, having been asked to fill out a report about how his Pokémon had died. Luckily, Blue had mentioned Team Rocket as the reason his Pokémon died, and not Red. The last thing he needed right now was an investigation hanging over his head.

He put his hand in his pocket, pulling out the stone shaped like the Cascade Badge, studying it. Everything that'd happened had been caused by this badge, and he could still feel its power flowing through him.

He didn't know where it came from, but he remembered feeling the same power from the boulder in Mount Moon, albeit to a far lesser extent. Sighing, he placed the badge back in his pocket; he could worry about it later, right now his focus would be on his friend.

The doctor entered, holding a clip board as he approached the you boy. "Master Red, is it?"

"Yes, sir." Red nodded.

The doctor studied the boy, trying to gauge the best way to explain the situation to the boy. "There's no easy way to explain this. Your friend, Green, we had to put her into an induced coma. She lost a lot of blood and had severe swelling on the brain due to the trauma…" The doctor took a moment before continuing. "At this point in time, we have no idea if she'll wake up. I've attempted to locate her parents; do you have any idea who they are?"

"Unfortunately, I don't," Red answered, his eyes tearing up. In the space of only a few hours he'd accidently killed a Pokémon, and quite possibly lost a friend. He'd had no idea of the consequences their actions would have at the beginning of the day.

* * *

 **Who will win the Tournament of Masters? Can Tracey find a way to help his friends? Will Green Recover? Find Out Next Time!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be up in two weeks.**

 **Review Reply:**

 **Review (Guest): Have ash and Misty tell each other their feelings for each other the sooner they do it the better it is for them and will take some of that extra weight and pressure from worrying that they might not feel the same way or having another boy or girl taking them away from each other and ash should be the one to ask misty out on a date they should start opening up t and be more honest to each other as for ash he needs to start being Less dense be more mature and notice not just his own feelings for misty but her feelings towards him and return her feelings instead of just waiting it out and see what happens and please update this story.**

 **Reply: Wow, this is a long carryon sentence. A lot of what your asking for is a long way off. They have to grow to be more mature, they're still only ten. I promise you'll see some moments in this arc, but not to the level your asking, that'll come much later. Besides, without conflict the story would be bland. Even if they did get together, you should imagine that I would set up a breakup/makeup story arc in there somewhere. Otherwise, where is the fun?**

 **Review (Pokémon Fan): Basically, the same as above.**

 **Reply: Same as above.**

 **Review (Miss Geek): Was the scene with Giovanni and Misty's dad a flashback? Seemed like it. Other than that, love this chapter it was too funny and Yeah you're right Danny really was being polite misty being all over him didn't make sense to me but can't wait to see what it would be like with Rudy I'd laugh if u get ash to have a conversation with his dad about his feelings towards it.**

 **Reply: Thanks for the Support! Yes, the scene involving Giovanni and Mark took place in the past, and I hope this chapter cleared that up for you. I know how difficult it can be to understand the story structure. If anyone is having difficulty, I would suggest they read Steven King's 'IT.' That book has current and past stories happening simultaneously. It really helps to learn how to read a story like that. That conversation Ash will have with Red will happen off screen. I am not going anywhere near the idea of writing a "Birds and the Bees" scenario.**

 **Review Reply End.**

 **Again, hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. The next one will focus on the ending of the climatic battle. The chapter afterwards will focus on the lead up to the second movie.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)** **  
** **Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)** **  
** **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:** **  
** **  
** **Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)** **  
** **Sandslash (Ground) (Male)** **  
** **Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Seel (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Feebas (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Psyduck (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Togepi (Fairy) (Male)** **  
** **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Seaking (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Staryu (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)** **  
** **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	12. Chapter 12 - The Legend of Fire

**Hey everyone, apologies for being late with this chapter. It took longer than expected to finalise. I'm head away later this week for a while, so I won't know when I'll be able to update next until I'm back. Hopefully it will only be a couple of weeks.**

 **This chapter takes place entirely in the past. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 12 – The Legend of Fire

A long Time Ago…

Red leaned over the railing of the ferry, watching the wake as the ship ploughed through the sea. Four months had passed since the incident in Saffron City. Green-to his relief-had made a steady, but slow, recovery.

"What'cha thinking?" Green questioned, leaning against the railing next to him. The aftermath of her injury evident with her long brown hair gone, replaced by a short length that'd barely grown out from when it had been completely shaved off. But-if you didn't already know-you wouldn't be able to tell as her white hat that cleverly disguised it.

She'd been in a coma for three weeks and had required surgery to relieve pressure on her brain. To everyone's surprise, though, was how quickly she recovered. Well, almost everyone, as Red was sure the badge he'd left with her had something to do with it.

The badge had been a thorn in his side since the moment he'd found it, but somehow, he couldn't will himself to get rid of it. Be it guilt, he wasn't sure, but what he did know was that he needed to find out why everything had happened the way it did. He'd tried recreating the same feeling, the same pulse from it, but somehow it wouldn't activate like it had in that hallway. If only he could figure out how to trigger it; how to control it so he could bring some closure.

Part of it was for himself, for his conscience, but the other part-he told himself-was for his friends. He owed them more than they knew. Blue had blamed him for killing his Pokémon; a rage that was yet to subside.

Sure, he knew the cause, but how could he explain it to Blue? How could Blue even believe him? A stone, shaped like a badge, had somehow souped-up his Pokémon to the point where its attack killed his friend's Pokémon in a single hit. Yeah, right, even he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't experienced it.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the ship, blowing Green's hat off her head. The white hat with a red ring didn't fly far though; landing in Red's hands. He clutched it for a second, making sure it didn't blow away, before turning towards his friend.

With the hat gone, a large scar across her head was clearly visible, highlighting the area where they'd operated on her brain. "Sorry," Red muttered. He wasn't sure what he was sorry for. Everything? Perhaps.

"Thanks," Green replied, taking the hat. She quickly placed it back on her head, making sure to cover the scar. "I was never one for hats, but this one has grown on me. I think I might keep wearing it, even after my hair grows back."

"It suits you," Red admitted.

"Thanks." Green smiled happily. "It's the fedora equivalent to your cap."

"Yeah," Red agreed, noting the differences in their hats. "Mine's red with white lines, yours is white with red lines."

"Anyway." Green sighed, turning back towards the ocean. "Why're we heading for Cinnabar Island?"

"The fire-type Gym is there," Red explained. "It's is the second last Gym Badge I need to enter the Pokémon League and challenge the Elite Four."

"What about that odd-looking badge in your pocket?"

Red groaned; he'd hoped no one would ever notice it. But clearly, he hadn't been as careful as he should have been. "It's just a replica. I-I've actually already gotten the proper badge. I found this one…" He paused, not knowing whether to bring up the incident again or not. It wasn't that it hurt him, he just didn't know how to approach the subject with Green. Really, they hadn't talked about it at all.

"That's cool," Green waved off, sensing how uncomfortable Red was. "So, you get this badge, then what will you do?"

"Me?" Red questioned. "Not We? You know I have to look after you."

"I'm not a baby!" Green angrily shot. "Sorry." She looked down, her eyes darting from the floor, back out to sea, before finally landing on Red. "It's just… Well… Spending time with you has been fun and all, but I've spent most of my life on my own. I just want to regain my independence again. I'll be staying on Cinnabar Island after you leave, okay?"

"Okay." Red nodded, agreeing. Truth be told, he didn't know how long he was supposed to look after her; only that it was until she was back on her feet. And, by the way she was acting recently, she was certainly there.

The ferry's horn blared, signalling their arrival at Cinnabar Island. Red collected their bags and scurried towards the ramp, dragging Green in toe, trying to beat the rush of passengers before they arrived.

It wasn't long before they found themselves on the dock, the rush of passengers passing them on the concrete pier as they walked slowly. She was told to take everything slow and avoid sudden movements; she was still feeling the minor effects of the concussion she suffered. Green sighed; she hated being waited on, but she was grateful for what Red had done for her after everything that had happened.

"We'll check in at the Pokémon Centre, then we'll go get lunch, how does that sound?" Red questioned.

"Sounds great," Green replied, smiling. "I'm famished."

"Good," Red continued. "And if there's time, hopefully the Gym will still be open. There are quite a few places I'd like to see, a few Pokémon I'd like to catch. You know, legend has it that a legendary bird, a Moltres, lives at the peak of Cinnabar Island's volcano."

"Really?" Green piqued at the mention of legendary Pokémon. "I'd heard rumours about the Legendary Birds, but never anything like that."

Red could sense her grievances, but she didn't give anything away as to why. "I mean, sure, you hear about some trainer's claiming to have captured them," Red agreed. "But I've never actually seen one before."

"Well, now maybe your chance," Green suggested, pointing towards the path that led to the volcano as they entered the small town.

"Would love to," Red replied. "But the path is closed. It's been like that for years."

"Oh well, maybe someday you'll get your wish." Red couldn't help but notice the sarcasm in her voice. Did she not want to meet legendary Pokémon? Or was there something else to it?

"Yeah, maybe someday I'll even be friends with some of the legendary Pokémon!" he joked, hoping to break the ice, but it had the opposite effect.

* * *

High up, near the peak of Cinnabar Islands' volcano, Moltres slumbered, its heat emanating as fiercely as the heat from the active volcano itself.

Slowly, several men approached with Poké Balls in hand, wearing specially designed clothing. But the one thing that never changed for any uniform they wore was the red 'R' over their chests.

Advancing slowly, they planned to catch the Pokémon off guard, but suddenly, the ground beneath them shook violently. Smoke billowed from the top of the active volcano, but yet, Moltres remained motionless; slumbering peacefully as if nothing had ever happened. The legendary bird had grown used to the ever-increasing activity of the volcano in the last few weeks, learning to ignore the shaking, knowing it wouldn't be harmed.

But as one of the men lost their footing, the sudden clanging of metal, combined with man's unintentional loud groan as he fell, awakened the slumbering Pokémon.

Fluttering its eyes open, Moltres scanned its surroundings, discovering it wasn't alone. It rose onto its brown anisodactyl feet, flaring its wings in intimidation. Flames billowed from its wings, covering its surroundings in fire, the temperature rising insurmountably.

The men, protected from the heat by their suits, continued to advance. Some released strong looking water and rock-type Pokémon, while others brought forward tools and weapons. Surrounding Moltres, they ordered their Pokémon to attack.

Moltres had expected such an attack but hadn't expected a coordinated move. The water-type Pokémon encircled it, attacking all at once. They held Moltres in place with such ferocious bursts of water, disorientating the legendary bird who had no idea how to defend itself.

The surprising move may have caught the Pokémon off guard however, but quickly, Moltres fought back. The flames from its talons flared, sending waves of heat that turned the water to steam on contact.

Moltres cawed in triumph, quickly releasing a flurry of flames from its brown beak at the water Pokémon. But this had played into Team Rocket's hand; Moltres was angry and distracted by the water-type Pokémon, unable to see what was coming.

In a moment, the flames were cut off as a massive boulder crashed into Moltres' head, knocking the Pokémon to the ground. Other rocks followed it, each one crashing into its body. Slowly, the rocks began to crush Moltres. The bird was unable to move, trapped, entombed under the weight of the rocks from the volcano it called its home.

The grunts smiled and laughed, believing they'd defeated the Pokémon, when a lone man appeared behind them. "What do you think you're doing?" The man declared, furious. He wore a white lab coat over his black shirt and purple pants. His glasses glistened in the sunlight, covering part of his frown.

"Get out of here!" one of the grunts warned, pointing their weapon at him. "This is none of your business."

"It is when you toy with something you don't understand!"

"I'll only say this once!" another grunt warned. "This Moltres is ours. If you wanted to capture it, too late! Leave now or you won't leave at all."

"This Moltres is not yours, and it is certainly not mine!" the man countered. "This Moltres maintains the island's ecosystem! It belongs to the island! Take it away and you'll destroy this place!"

"Not my problem," the grunt waved off callously. "We need this Pokémon, and we'll take it by any means necessary!"

"I, Blaine, as Gym Leader of Cinnabar Gym, it is my solemn duty to protect that sanctity of this island." The man looked past the grunts, his glasses glinting in the light Moltres emitted. "I don't think your 'means' is going to be good enough," he muttered.

Abruptly, a thundering boom echoed around the area as the rocks crushing Moltres were vaporised. Rising to its feet, Moltres squawked fiercely, the sound cracking the man's glasses. The Rocket Grunts flinched, some grasping their heads in pain as Moltres continued its noisy onslaught.

* * *

Far below, near the base of the Volcano, Red and Blue sat down to eat. They'd chosen a lovely diner with a nice outdoor seating area. The day was lovely, and the breeze was cooling, encouraging people to walk to-and-fro along the island's coastline. Business were at peak, people had flooded the streets, and any festivities were in full swing.

Green ate a small amount of food slowly-as had been the norm in recent weeks-while Red ordered the largest meal he could find. "Do you want to head back to the Pokémon Centre, or Come with me to the Gym?" Red asked, planning out their schedule.

"The Gym can wait, can't it?" Green replied, taking another small bite of her meal. "I'm tired from the trip on the ferry. I'm sure the Gym will be there tomorrow."

"I guess." Red sighed, agreeing; he was tired also, but for an entirely different reason. "The Centre's not far from he-"

Red was cut off as a resounding boom echoed down from the top of the volcano. People stopped, all turning to face the volcano. Some looked concerned, while the locals on the island continued as if nothing had happened.

What quickly followed was a series of events that would forever be known as 'The Great Cinnabar Collapse.'

* * *

Moltres reacted angrily, billowing flames around the Rocket grunts. Their protective suits-for the most part-absorbed the unimaginable heat. The man, who Moltres knew, remained unharmed, but even he quickly retreated to a safe distance.

From there, he watched as Moltres changed its tactic, deciding the best course of action was to eliminate the threat of the Pokémon around it. No match for the legendary bird, the rock and water-type Pokémon eventually succumbed to the relentless onslaught, but not before they got a few well-placed shots of their own.

Angry, confused, and injured, Moltres decided to retreat. Flapping its wings, it flew quickly into the air, flying well above the volcano, before turning and diving straight into the active caldera. It disappeared beneath the lava's depths, absorbing the volcano's energy to heal itself.

The man looked increasing concerned, quickly retreating, himself, as it became clear that the area was no longer safe. As he attempted to climb down the volcano, the violent quakes that had rocked the area in recent weeks dramatically increased.

Moltres had set off a chain reaction. Its own energy, combined with the increasing pressure inside the magma chamber, ignited a fuse that could not be extinguished. Magma started to billow towards the surface at an alarming pace.

The violent shaking increased, causing a cascading effect as the top of the volcano collapsed into the caldera, plugging the free-flowing lava. Pressure built, rapidly.

* * *

Down below, the rest of the island were feeling the effects. The minor tremors they'd previously felt was nothing compared to violent shaking that now rocked the island. The island fell into a panic. Tourists flooded the streets, abandoning their plans. Confusion set in as thousands of people raced to the island's port.

But the earthquakes had also affected the seas. Water drained from the beaches, before quickly rushing back in. No tsunami had occurred, yet, the it made it difficult for the ships in port to remain afloat.

Several hit piers, damaging their hulls. No ship could safely dock, so those that were able to, fled for the safety of the sea; abandoning the fleeing civilians.

Red and Green had gotten lost in the chaos. Their nice lunch had been cut short. The lovely diner they were eating in had collapsed. They didn't know where to go, quickly finding themselves at the start of the trail that led up the volcano.

There, Blaine quickly appeared, exhausted from his mad dash down the volcano. He looked at the two kids, concerned. "Where're your parents?" he questioned, believing they were tourists.

"They're not here," Red explained. "We're Pokémon trainers. I'm here to face the Cinnabar Gym."

"Well, you're in luck." Blaine laughed. "I'm the Gym Leader, but we're currently in a dire situation."

"I understand that!" Red annoyingly shot, losing his footing as another large tremor shook the island; he wasn't stupid, he knew how bad the situation was.

But as quickly as the tremors began, they stopped. Slowly, the island began to calm. Several ships quickly returned to port, picking up civilians to ferry them away.

For a moment, everyone thought it was over, well, almost everyone. Blaine's brow furrowed in concern. He quickly raced towards the centre of town, Red and Green in hot pursuit. The devastation from the earthquake was evident.

Several buildings had collapsed, while others were beyond repair. People were injured, their bodies smashed by falling debris. Red didn't know if anyone was trapped inside the buildings, and a part of him didn't want to know.

Remarkably, the Pokémon Lab, one of the largest buildings on the island, was unscathed. Blaine helped several people before heading for his gym.

Similar to the Pokémon Lab, the gym seemed relatively untouched. Blaine, who was about to enter the gym, stopped. Silently, he turned towards the volcano, peering worriedly. He sensed it before it even occurred.

A great flash, closely followed by a thundering boom that shattered any remaining windows, shocked the inhabitants. The explosion threw tonnes of debris into the air. Rocks and ash rained down on the island in an instant. The explosion, so powerful, was seen from Kanto's coast. Lava began billowing out from the volcano's destroyed peak.

Visibility quickly became difficult as smog and ash blanketed the area. The falling rocks and boulders smashed into buildings. Breathing became nearly impossible. Red covered his face with his shirt. Looking around, he noticed Green was completely disorientated.

Blaine, who seemed less effected, grabbed both of them by their collars and pulled them away from the gym. He led them towards the ocean, where he knew it would be safer. "Do either of you have a Pokémon that can swim in the ocean?"

"Yeah," Red answered. "I have a Gyarados."

"Great!" Blaine exclaimed, stopping at the edge of the sand. "Summon it and get out of here!"

"What about you?"

"There's still people on the island." Blaine turned towards the volcano. "I somewhat caused this. It's my responsibility to save as many people as possible."

Red pulled out his Poké Ball, summoning Gyarados. As the light faded from Gyarados' form as mighty roar was heard. But it hadn't come from Gyarados.

They all quickly glanced back towards the peak of the volcano, where Moltres rocketed forth from the depths of the flowing lava. Moltres quickly flared out its wings, vaporising all the flying debris around it.

The legendary bird cawed defiantly-triumphantly-before circling the volcano's peak. Green flinched at the shrill noise the Pokémon released, visibly retracting in fear.

"What's it doing?" Red asked.

Blaine studied the bird. He knew Moltres quite well, having befriended the Pokémon at a young age. "Protecting the island."

Moltres swooped down, flapping its wings rapidly; blowing the smoke and raining ash away.

With the air now breathable, Blaine raced back towards the small resort town, ordering Red and Green to board the Pokémon.

Unsurprisingly, Red noticed a large crowd charging towards them. Realising what they wanted, he reluctantly helped Green climb onto Gyarados' scaly back. Quickly following, he ordered Gyarados to leave the shore as several people tried to climb onto the Pokémon.

Gyarados thrashed, knocking several people off. Looking back, sadly, at the crowd that'd formed on the beach he knew he couldn't help them; there were far too many people for Gyarados to support, and there was no way that any of them would remain behind while others boarded.

"There's nothing we can do for them." Green sighed sadly, glancing back at the island. They were now over a hundred metres from shore. Despite their distance, another shrilled caw caused her to flinch. "It's all because of that Pokémon. I hate birds."

"You ha-hate flying-type Pokémon?" Red stuttered.

"No, only birds," Green muttered.

"Why?"

"I feel dizzy," Greed groggily explained, ignoring Red's question. She laid her head on Red's back; her eyes were heavy, and she just wanted to sleep.

"Hey, now." Red nudged Green. "Don't sleep; that's the worst thing you could do."

"I know, but I don't care," she dreamily replied, her eyes now closed. A smile appeared on her lips as her consciousness fell into its own world. "Sleep seems like a peaceful escape from this nightmare."

Red looked around worriedly; the last time she'd been like this, she'd been placed in a coma. But while he knew she wasn't injured from the eruption on the island, she was clearly still feeling the effects of her injuries she'd received at Silph Co.

Realising he would have to do something to keep her awake, an idea quickly popped into his head, whether it was a good idea or not was an entirely different story. Grabbing one of his Poké Balls, he summoned his Pikachu. "I need you to give Green a minor electric shock. Just enough to keep her awake; I don't want to hurt her any more than she already is."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded. He slowly crept past Red, before squeezing in between the two kids. Placing his paw on Green's shoulder, he channelled a small amount of electricity through it.

"Ow!" Green recoiled, frantically looking around to see where the shock came from. When her eyes locked onto Pikachu, they narrowed; suspiciously. Glancing up, her eyes bored into the back of Red's head. "You told him to, didn't you?"

"Sorry, but I need to keep you awake."

"Keeping me awake is one thing, but hur- Ow! Hey! Stop That!" She glared at the Pokémon. "You didn't need to do that."

"I'm sorry, but shaking you wasn't working," Red retorted.

"I wasn't tired because of my injuries, if you must know!" Green shot, now completely aware of her surroundings. "It was the smoke more than anything!"

"How was I supposed to know?" Red threw his arms up dramatically. "We're in the middle of a crisis and you suddenly decide it's the best time to fall asleep!" He pointed towards the island, where Moltres was still trying to protect it while the volcano continued to erupt.

Coming from nowhere, a large burst of water collided with the legendary bird, knocking it from view. Even from a distance, Red could tell something was off. His suspicions increased when a large torrent of flames was launched into the sky for no visible reason.

"I have to figure out what's going on," he said. "Something's not right. I think someone is attacking Moltres."

"What?" Green dumbfoundedly exclaimed. "Are you insane? Look at the devastation! And how exactly do you plan on getting back there?"

"Well, you're certainly not going back there," Red explained. "We have two water-types. I'm sure if you lend me your Wartortle, it'll be able to swim me back to shore."

"You're out of your mind!" Green's hand instinctively went to her Poké Ball. "Are you sure you weren't hit on the head?"

"I'm sure," Red replied, studying the situation. Green was protecting her Pokémon, and he knew there would be no way to take the Poké Ball without distracting her. "Pikachu… Shock her."

"Don't you dare!" But Pikachu obeyed his trainer. Green recoiled, trying to dodge the attack. In that moment she left herself open and Red reached for the Poké Ball.

Clutching it, he quickly yanked the ball with a water symbol from her. He quickly released the Pokémon, asking it to swim him to shore.

Green, who was now more pissed off than earlier, glared angrily at Red. "Don't you do it, Wartortle!" she ordered. "I haven't given him permission to use you!"

Wartortle was stock between a rock and a hard place. In one hand, it should be obeying its trainer, in the other it was only a small trip; a mere one hundred metres and then he'd be back.

"Please, Wartortle," Red begged. "It's only to shore. Then you can swim back here and stay with Green."

Wartortle glanced between Red's pleading face and Green's stern one. Finally, it looked at Red and nodded. "Wartortle."

"Thanks." Red sighed. Green groaned, angrily eyeing her Pokémon.

Wartortle jumped into the ocean, closely followed by Red, who tightly clutched onto its shell. He quickly glanced back at Green on Gyarados' back before addressing Pikachu. "Look after her while I'm gone. Shock her if she tries to fall asleep."

Wartortle took off and Red only just heard Green's reply. "You do that and I'm throwing you in the water!"

* * *

Red arrived on the beach, his clothes soaking from the trip. Massive crowds had already flooded the beach, but they paid him no heed as he trotted past them. The volcano-for the moment-had ceased all violent activity, save for the plumes of smoke it continued to billow out into the atmosphere.

It seemed strange; the calmness of the situation, but it allowed Red to easily make his way back into town. What he found there was complete and utter devastation. Only a few buildings still stood, but even they were severely damaged.

He wandered past buildings, past the injured, the dead, and headed towards the volcano's trail. He knew that was where Moltres was. He couldn't see the legendary bird, but he could certainly hear it. But before he could continue, he was stopped by the body near him grabbing his leg. Looking down, Red recognised the man; Blaine.

Blaine rose to a seated position, coughing and struggling to move. His left hand was pressed against his leg, applying pressure to a deep wound he'd sustained in the fighting. "Don't go up there," he warned.

"What's happening?" Red questioned. "Who was attacking Moltres?"

"The same people who did this to me," Blaine spluttered. "They're a criminal gang known as Team Rocket." Red paled at the mention of Team Rocket. Blaine, even in his current state, did not miss the sudden change in Red's complexion. "I take it you've run into them before?"

Red nodded, his mind going blank. Fear began to grip his being. Everything bad that'd ever happened to him had been at the hands of the criminal organisation and he had no idea what to do. He hadn't run into them in four months, but here they were now; affecting his life once again. Was there no escape from their retched evil?

He glanced back down at Blaine, studying his wound. He realised he may not have been able to stop Team Rocket, but he could at least be able to help this man. "We should get some help."

"Help isn't coming, kid," Blaine replied. "But if you can help me back to my Gym, we may be able to find a way to resolve this situation."

Helping Green was a completely different story to helping Blaine. While Green as a girl his own age; similar in height and weight, Blaine was fully grown man. Luckily, he didn't have to carry him-which he was sure he couldn't in the first place-but he still needed to support him.

Even with Blaine on one leg, they quickly made their way back into town. Unsurprisingly, the place was now deserted, save for the few emergency services and injured who couldn't yet move. "Looks like everyone who could has made their way to the beach."

Red looked around, saddened by the complete destruction of the town. "Can Cinnabar recover from this?"

"It has before," Blaine replied. "This isn't the first time the volcano has erupted. Then there's the bombings during the war. No, no matter what, this island will recover, but the culture may never be the same."

They arrived at the entrance to the gym, the same place they'd been an hour ago, when suddenly Moltres descended into the centre of town. Battered, bruised, and running out of energy, the Pokémon had retreated into the city for safety.

But Team Rocket had followed, ignoring the collateral damage in their endeavour to capture the Pokémon. Dozens of Pokémon descended on the weakened Pokémon, laying into it with every attack they could.

Blaine grew visible angry, shoving Red away as he went for one of his Poké Balls. These men were responsible for the destruction of his town, his island, and he was damned if he was going to let them take his friend.

"What're you doing?" Red questioned.

"Protecting Moltres," Blaine explained, summoning his Rhydon and Magmar.

"But what about inside? You said there may be something in here that can help."

"There is," Blaine confirmed. "But you'll be the one to retrieve it! Inside, on my desk, is a fossil; an Old Amber. It contains to fossil of a powerful Pokémon that once ruled this island. Retrieve it and take it to my station in the Pokémon Laboratory."

"There may be an issue there, the entrance to the Pokémon Lab is destroyed," Red pointed out, gesturing to collapsed arch at the front of the building.

"Don't worry about that," Blaine reassured. "My office has a secret connection directly to the building." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a card. "Take this; it's a key card. It'll give you entrance to my lab."

Red looked at Blaine suspiciously; who needed a secret entrance to a public lab? But he quickly decided to ignore it, taking the card from the older man's hand. He turned and ran into the building.

* * *

Red searched up and down, but everywhere he turned he found a dead end, the way blocked by a sealed door. He couldn't locate anything; not Blaine's office, not even the battlefield. The place was built like a maze and he couldn't believe how many times he'd turned back.

Finally, he found himself back at the entrance to the gym. He could clearly hear the battle outside, but knew he had a job to do. He turned back towards the maze when he saw a small sign on the wall. "Welcome to the Cinnabar Gym! Home to the Hot-Headed Quiz Master!" he read aloud. "To challenge the Gym Leader, you must first traverse the Maze! There, you will find a series of questions designed to test your knowledge of Pokémon. Get the answer right and the door will open. But get it wrong and the door will remain sealed. Be careful, one wrong answer and you'll have to begin again… You've got to be kidding me! I don't have time for this!"

But begrudgingly, he knew there was no other way; Blaine probably had a way around the maze, but he was too busy. Realising his only course of action was forward, he entered the maze. Remembering which way was the quickest to the nearest door, he found a small computer screen next to the door that he'd missed in his brash haste earlier.

He read the question on the computer screen quickly, noting the options below it. It was a simple yes or no question about a Pokémon's evolution. Pressing 'No,' he expected the door to quickly open, but after he pressed the answer, the screen flashed red with the word 'Wrong' in bold writing, immediately followed by a small message; 'This Route is Sealed. Please Choose Another Route.'

"What?" Red groaned. "Caterpie evolves into Metapod! Not Butterfree!" But he had no choice, quickly turning around to take a different path through the maze. "This is Bullshit!"

* * *

Outside, Blaine was fighting a losing battle. Moltres was weak and was struggling to halt the continuous barrage. Blaine's Pokémon were having their own fair share of problems, with their attacks being deflected or blocked by a number of psychic-type Pokémon that Team Rocket had unleashed.

While the volcano had been quiet for a while, Blaine knew that it could erupt again at any time. He needed to end this fast or there wouldn't be an island left. But Red hadn't reappeared and he was beginning to wonder what was taking the kid so long. He'd sent Red into his gym over ten minutes ago; he should have already made it back from the Pokémon Lab by now.

Pulling out another Poké Ball, he hoped that Red would hurry; he was running out of Pokémon and he didn't know how long they had left.

* * *

Eventually, Red made it through the maze; his body flooding with relief when he finally caught sight of the Gym's battlefield. He now understood why many trainers mentioned that this was the gym they hated the most. While most of the questions were simple, a little mistake and you had to start over. Add to that, that the first question registered the wrong answer as the correct one, frustrated him deeply.

Crossing the eerily quiet battlefield, Red opened the door to the Gym's personal living quarters. Inside, he found several rooms; a kitchen, a bedroom, even an entertainment suit, but no office. His frustration grew, but he knew he had to remain calm; the last thing he could do was let himself lose control and possibly miss some small detail because he was distracted. But even now he was beginning to question Blaine's idea of sending him into the Gym instead of the man who knew the place's layout the best.

Maybe Blaine thought that he wasn't strong enough to hold Team Rocket back? It was plausible; the first thing Blaine did upon meeting him was usher him to safety. Afterall, he couldn't blame the man. If Red was in his shoes, he probably would have done the same thing.

"Now, if I had an office that contained a secret entrance into the Pokémon Lab, where would I hide it?" Red wondered aloud, concluding that he was missing something. He wandered around the quarters; his shoes scuffing loudly against the wooden floor. "It would have to be underground so it wouldn't draw attention."

Suddenly, the wooden floor creaked, drawing his attention. He took another step, listening to the creaking that seemed to be echoing beneath him. Finally, he came to a stop in front of a large rug that seemed to be completely out of place compared to the rest of the room.

Peeling the rug back, he found a small latch attached to a hidden trap door. Lifting the latch, he managed to open the door, discovering a staircase to a large basement hidden underneath the gym.

The old steps creaked as he walked down, echoing inside the basement. At the bottom he found a small pull string connected to a light. With a flicker the entire basement was illuminated. What confronted him was not what he expected, however.

Instead of it being an empty basement with only a single desk, he found a room littered with files, books, and even a large map in the centre of the room. Compared to most basements, this one was huge, with Red surmising that it could easily fit two whole battlefields.

Wading past desk after desk he searched for the secret door Blaine had mentioned. But the more he looked, the more questions arose. Why would Blaine have a hidden basement this large? Why were there strange documents littered all lover the place? And did the same symbol keep appearing? P.S.R.D., what the hell was that?

Finally, he found a desk that had a photo of the familiar Pokémon Gym Leader. Combing through everything on the desk, he struggled to find the Old Amber Blaine had mentioned. Instead he found a large book; a journal. He opened it, hoping it contained the information he was after. Reading the first page, he couldn't believe what it contained. ' _Day one. We arrived in the early ours of the morning, before the sun had come up as to allay suspicion,_ 'he read. ' _The building may have been old but using it as cover made perfect sense. People come and go all day long to test their Pokémon's strength in the building's battlefield. Also, it was situated right next to the well-known Pokémon Lab, if there were to be a sudden increase in the number of people entering and exiting the museum it would draw attention of Hoenn's Spies.'_

Red paused, skipping through several pages before continuing. ' _Day fifty-two._ _The experiment had been a failure, as I had expected; as I had warned. Some had questioned why I was even here, but now they see what I meant. The Poké Ball Project had been a resounding success, allowing our soldiers to carry Pokémon into the battlefield instead of fighting side by side with them constantly. Now our soldiers could use Pokémon strategically, and sparingly. But the big wigs wanted to go one better. They wanted to put a human mind inside a Pokémon. I told them it wasn't possible; I was ignored, and here we are now. Dr. Fuji, the only one who listened to me, has taken over the project. He's followed my recommendations. We're now going to try and blend Pokémon and Human DNA together and create a new species. The question was; what Pokémon do we use? The conclusion? After searching far and wide, the answer was found in one of the fossilised remains locked away in the Pokémon Lab's vault. A Mew! The Lab contained the remains of a fricking Mew! Research now turns to find a way to combine the Pokémon's DNA with our own. The war's getting worse, I only hope it doesn't take too long._ '

Red skimmed page after page, trying to find anything that would help him. In truth, the journal intrigued him; almost drawing his attention away from the task at hand. But another violent shake nocked him off his feet and onto the ground. He clutched the journal, looking around. The when he saw it; there, hidden underneath Blaine's desk, lied the Old Amber. It's brown and gold shell flicked in the dim light. He realised it must have fallen off the desk during one of the large earthquakes. Clutching it, he rose to his feet with the Old Amber and journal in hand. _Now where do I go?_ he questioned.

Gazing though the room, he noticed the stairs he'd entered from. He wondered for a moment if he should return the way he came. But he quickly put that thought aside; remembering that the entrance to the Pokémon Lab had been destroyed. "Blaine said that there was a secret entrance from his Office to the Pokémon Lab. If this is his office, then there must be a door in here somewhere," Red mused aloud. "It would have to be against the wall, or on the floor."

Red scaled every surface of the basement that he could, coming to a stop when his hands grazed a small indent in the wall. He studied the indent; measuring that it was large enough to place his finger in. The indent itself wasn't deep, but when he applied just the slightest pressure it seemed to give way under his own force.

As the indent moved backwards, forming a deeper hole, the wall opposite him began to shift loudly. Turning to watch, the wall slid further along, revealing a hidden passage. He crept cautiously towards the passage, realising it must have been the way forward.

The trip through the tunnel was short. When he reached the end, he found a similar door to the one's up above in the gym, only this one didn't contain a keypad. Instead, the doors simply opened, acknowledging his presence.

He walked through the door, discovering a large laboratory. The place was metallic, slick, and felt cleansed of all sceptic. It was strange; it reminded him of a hospital. He knew the device he need was here, and now all he needed to do was find it.

He paused, studying the lab he was in. He knew what the sequencer looked like, noticing it on the other side of the room. He walked past glass tube after glass tube, quickly making his way towards the device he knew he needed.

Surprisingly, the room was quite empty, with none of the tubes holding anything but liquid. What had gone on in this place, he did not know, but he knew he didn't have time to dwell on it. Perhaps the journal would provide him with the information? He was sure this lab had something to do with what he'd read.

Placing the Old Amber inside the sequencer, he activated the device. He stayed still as the machine whizzed into action.

* * *

Outside, Blaine was barely holding it together. The eruptions had stopped for the moment, but he knew there would be another one soon. Thanks to Moltres, most of the ash and smoke had been blown away, but that didn't mean it wasn't still hard to breath.

Returning another of his fallen Pokémon, he reached for his next Poké Ball, realising he had no Pokémon left. Blaine sighed; this was an inevitability he knew was coming. He didn't have an infinite amount of Pokémon, and while his Pokémon were stronger; his opponents out numbered him and Moltres ten to one.

Civilians that had been stranded in town had long since fled during the battle. Even the local Officers had all disappeared; presumably to save themselves from the onslaught. Blaine did not blame them. He'd seen what fear could do. He'd lived through the great war, fought in it in his own way. The reports; my god, he remembered the reports.

There was a reason there was a generational gap between his generation and the children of today. There was a reason that the population had diminished so much. He was in his fifties, and yet you would struggle to find many between his age and thirty. The war had wiped out an entire generation, even today the number of kids were few and far between, caused by the generational gap. If-in his opinion-the generation after his hadn't been wiped out, it wouldn't have had the cascading effect it did. Because most of the people aged between thirty and fifty had been wiped out, they didn't go on to make a generation of their own. Consequently, there was barely anyone in their teens. The numbers were rising, sure, but the population was still nowhere near what it was before the war.

Deciding that he need to change his tactics, he turned towards Moltres. Instead of fighting alongside the legendary bird, he would need to fight with the Pokémon. He only had Magmar left, but he hoped it would be enough. But as he raced towards the Pokémon the unthinkable happened; the volcano erupted.

This eruption was larger than the last one, launching debris over the entire island. Blaine jumped out of the way of one falling boulder, narrowly avoiding it. Looking up, he watched as one of the largest rocks hit the Pokémon Lab. The force was far too great for the building; collapsing in on itself.

"No!" Blaine screamed. He rose to his knees but didn't go any further. He stared at the building despairingly; regretting that he'd sent a kid into the building when he should have gone himself. To Blaine everything became quiet, with only the sound of his beating heart reaching his ears.

He looked around in disbelief as Moltres was struck by a flying boulder, knocking the Pokémon to the ground. Confusion, everything around him was covered with confusion. The Team Rocket grunts tried to gather some composure, but even they didn't know what to do.

Then he felt it. He felt everything. A shockwave emanated from the collapsed Pokémon Lab. The building's debris was thrown in every direction as a strange flying type took flight. Blaine managed to capture a glimpse of the Pokémon. It looked like an Aerodactyl, but its formation was completely different.

Instead of its normal grey, scaly, skin, black rocks protruded from its wings and body. Blaine also studied the figure atop it, realising the young boy was riding the Pokémon. It flew high into the sky, knocking back all of Team Rocket's Pokémon. Aerodactyl's body began to glow; the falling debris matching the same purplish hue. It was as if time froze. The rocks stopped falling; frozen in mid-air.

Red sighed as the Fossil Pokémon came to a stop at the top of the mountain. He could feel it; the badge's energy had surround Aerodactyl, causing it to mega evolve. He didn't understand how, but as the Pokémon Lab collapsed around him, he'd managed to activate the badge's powers again. But this time it'd gone beyond what it had done to Ivysaur.

Aerodactyl, a newly revived Pokémon, was acting like a seasoned battler. It was amazing to watch; as seemingly in a matter of seconds, Aerodactyl had stopped the eruption in its tracks. Any rocks that were still falling from the sky had been caught in the Pokémon's invisible web.

The calm ended when Aerodactyl launched most of the rocks into the side of the mountain, blocking the rivers of lava that were racing down the mountain since the first eruption. The rocks that remained were simultaneously launched at the remaining Team Rocket's Pokémon at Red's command.

An event that lasted well over an hour was finished in a matter of seconds. Moltres, who was now unhindered, flew back up to the mountain's peak and began absorbing the volcano's remaining energy.

The grunts fled in disarray, and Blaine didn't have the Pokémon or strength to follow them. He rose to his feet as Aerodactyl landed with a resounding thud. "I thought the Pokémon could help, but… Wow! I didn't know it had that much strength in it."

"Me neither," Red admitted as he dismounted the Pokémon. He felt the energy from the badge dissipate; Aerodactyl returning to its normal form a moment later. "What now?"

"Team Rocker has fled," Blaine explained. "Moltres has been allowed to return to its roll as guardian of the island. The crisis is over… For now."

"What will you do?"

"Me? I'll remain here. I'll rebuild this island like I did after I moved here years ago," Blaine elaborated. "But hey, you said you were a Pokémon trainer, right?"

"Yeah." Red nodded, confused.

Blaine reached into his pocket, pulling out a red badge shaped like a flame. "Then here. Take this badge, I think you've earned it." He placed the badge in Red's hand.

The boy looked sceptically at it before looking up at Blaine. "But don't I have to beat you in a battle for it?"

Blaine chuckled. "I don't think that's going to be possible!" He thumbed the building behind him. Red looked past the Gym Leader, realising that the Pokémon Gym had been destroyed during the last eruption. "Besides, you've shown what your capable of. I have no doubt you would beat me in a battle."

"Well, thanks." Red paused, not knowing what to do. He was about to turn and go find Green when Aerodactyl nudged him on the shoulder.

"I think Aerodactyl wants to go with you," Blaine explained.

"Are you sure?" Red questioned. "It was your fossil."

"But you revived it," Blaine countered. Aerodactyl nodded in agreement.

Smiling, Red pulled out an empty Poké Ball. He taped it against Aerodactyl's large jaw, absorbing the Pokémon in a second. "Aerodactyl's such a long name. I think I'll name you Aero."

Red turned and began to leave when one last thought entered his mind. "Oh, Blaine! If you rebuild the Gym, maybe get rid of the riddles! Especially the one about Caterpie! The answer's wrong!"

"I'll keep that in mind!" Blaine laughed.

* * *

Green sighed as she walked up to the local Pokémon Centre in Viridian City. A few days had passed since she'd parted ways with Red in Pallet Town. He'd talked about spending time with his mother and sister after the whole incident on Cinnabar Island.

It had been all over the news; she was sure her friend had seen it. Why else would she deicide to do what she was about to do? She calmly strode into the centre, completely ignoring the front desk as she turned towards the Centre's phones.

They weren't video phones that she'd heard were being rolled out in every Pokémon Centre nationwide, but they would do the trick. She sat down in front of the vacant phones, pulling out the piece of paper she'd held onto since she was a little kid.

She unfolded it, finding the detail within. Transcribed was a number; a number she'd told herself she'd never use unless in circumstances like this.

She grabbed the phone and dialled. She waited with bated breath as it rang, and rang, until finally someone answered. "Hey, it's me, Green… Yes, I saw; I was there… No, no. Team Rocket was involved… I don't know." She quickly glanced around her; making sure no one was listening. "It involved a Legendary Bird, like the one that kidnapped us. Something isn't right. Do you think it could be him?" There was a long pause before she received her answer. "I think it's time. I think it's time me meet up… I'll be staying at the Viridian City Pokémon Centre; you know how to reach me… Just, please be careful, I don't know who to trust at the moment."

She hung up the phone.

* * *

 **What is Green Up To? Will Red Learn the truth about the War? Who will Win Between Lance and Silver? Find Out Next Time.**

 **Kudos to those who figure out who Green was talking to. This chapter contained a lot of world building, hope you enjoyed it.**

 **I got the idea for this chapter from the Cinnabar Island collapse in the Pokemon Games when the volcano erupted. It also explains why Cinnabar Island doesn't have a Gym anymore in the Kanto Arc, it was destroyed and Blaine never rebuilt it. Eventually he made the ruse that he let it fall into disrepair so only those that really wanted to battle him would find him.**

 **If you couldn't figure out the generational gap, I'll explain it if you ask. I realise that part is ambiguous, but it's setting up how the original Pokémon League was formed.**

 **I just wanted to say thanks to those who have reviewed! A lot of the time you keep me going!**

 **Review Reply:**

 **Review (Guest): I love this story; you have no idea how happy I am that I found it. I can't wait to read more.**

 **Reply: Thank You! I always appreciate reviews, especially even if they're just comments like this. I'm glad you enjoy it!**

 **Review (Tmriddle): Hey I know you might not answer this question but are you planning to have misty stay with ash through all of the regions or just up to where she did in the anime. I'd really love to see her stay there for the whole thing and not just phase out and leave like she did in the anime.**

 **Reply: You're right, unfortunately I can't answer that, it would spoil too much! I will say this though; you will be both happy and sad with what I'll do with the character's at the end of the Johto Arc.**

 **Review (Miss geek): Lol the rant was true I see it happens to pokeshippers a lot like amourshippers can't stand the fact there's evidence for pokeshipping and not for their shipping I dunno. Anyway wait is mark mistys dad her dads name was Ethan or Daniel right ? Oh god I'm prob have to read this again lol. Your doing a good job though to write in present and past tense keep it up and step on those trolls along ur way.**

 **Reply: I wouldn't go as far as what your saying. In fact, I don't think the troll reviewers even have a ship, they're only pretending to, to start a shipping war. As for your second point: There are two Misty's, one from the past and one from the present. The Past one is Misty Williams, daughter of Mark Williams and the younger sister of Hannah Williams. The one in the present is Misty Waterflower, Daughter of Ethan and Hannah Waterflower (Formally Williams). Misty Williams is Misty Waterflower's aunt. I hope that clears things up. Misty Waterflower is named after her aunt because they were both very similar in appearance, which her parents noted when she was born. I won't go too far into details as that would be spoilers.**

 **Review Reply End.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)  
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)** **  
** **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Wartortle (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)** **  
** **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)** **  
** **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)** **  
** **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)  
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:  
**

 **Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)** **  
** **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Raticate (Normal) (Female)** **  
** **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)** **  
** **Kingler (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Absol (Dark) (Male)** **  
** **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)** **  
** **Muk (Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)  
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)  
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Seel (Water) (Male)** **  
** **Feebas (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Psyduck (Water) (Male)  
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)  
Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)** **  
** **Seaking (Water) (Female)** **  
** **Staryu (Water/Psychic)** **  
** **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)** **  
** **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)** **  
** **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


	13. Chapter 13 - The Queen of Ice

**Hi everyone. I know it's been a long time, and other than laziness and a busy schedule, I don't really have an excuse. Again, I remember why I hate tournaments. I try to give the most descriptive battle I can, which takes a lot of planning and research. So much so, that I had to break the second tournament in this into two parts, otherwise I don't when you would have got it. This is either my longest or second longest chapter I've ever written. Funny enough, I'd planned to tone down the size of chapters in this arc, but they just seem to be getting longer and longer.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I am going away again next week, so I hope to al least try to get the next chapter out soon.**

* * *

Chapter 13 – The Queen of Ice

Dragonite barrelled into the turf, its wings scraping against the hard surface. Tyranitar roared triumphantly; believing it had defeated its nemesis that had foiled many of its victories in the past. But the teal winged dragon-type rose slowly to its feet like the legends of Lance Dragonite foretold. Very few had ever defeated the Pokémon, even less had managed to weaken it. It was the pinnacle of Lance's team, and it wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"This dumb dragon won't quit." Silver growled. He was so close to victory, so close to winning the one tournament that had eluded him for so long. Every time he thought he had it, someone like Lance would stand in his way.

The battle had gone the same way four years prior, with Lance coming out the victor. This wasn't going to happen again. He was determined to end the charade. Truth be told, while Lance had won the tournament four years earlier, he never took the time to challenge Red for his title. His excuse was that he knew he couldn't defeat Red, so instead, he focussed on training his Pokémon for when they believed they would be ready.

But Silver knew better. He knew that Lance hadn't challenged for profound personal reasons. Lance had owed Red in the past, and they had since become friends. If Lance won, it would mean another four years of the Pokémon Master's title going unchallenged.

"Dragonite, we only have one shot!" Lance declared; reading the situation. His Pokémon couldn't take much more, and with type disadvantage, he knew anything thrown at him would do more damage than required. "Draco Meteor! And throw everything you have into it!"

Dragonite's whole body glowed in a similar orange hue to the colour of its skin. Its mouth opened, a giant orange ball forming in front of it rapidly.

The crowd leaned forward in their seats, eagerly anticipating the spectacular light show the attack would create. Silver, too, had anticipated such a move and had been training his Pokémon to counter it.

"Tyranitar, get ready, the light show's about to begin." To anyone else, it appeared that he was warning his Pokémon of the attack, but Tyranitar had received the hidden message within. Silently, slowly, Tyranitar lowered its body towards the ground.

"Now!" Lance ordered, failing to notice his Tyranitar's subtle movements.

Dragonite launched the ball of orange energy into the sky where it exploded into dozens of smaller fragments. As the pieces rained down on the battlefield, Tyranitar put its own move into action. As the crowd awed at the light show, no one noticed as Tyranitar's right paw slammed into the ground.

Dozens of rocks were thrown into the air in a matter of seconds. The rocks raced upwards, flying straight for the meteors that descended. The stones and meteors collided in a display not dissimilar to fireworks.

As each new explosion echoed around the stadium, like the pop of a firework, it was clear that none of the meteors had made it through the gauntlet, saving Tyranitar from the attack. But to everyone's surprise, some of the rocks remained. But instead of falling to the ground, the remaining stones were deflected by the explosions, straight towards Dragonite.

Lance had no time to react, and neither did his Pokémon, as Dragonite suddenly found itself under a similar barrage it had intended for Tyranitar.

Silver, realising that Dragonite was open, turned to his Pokémon. "Tyranitar, let's finish that thing!" he barked with a devilish smile on his face. "Entomb it so it can't escape!"

Large rocks quickly appeared around Tyranitar before it launched them towards the dragon Pokémon. Distracted, Dragonite was unable to notice each large boulder until they smashed into the ground around it.

With each new rock, the dragon Pokémon found it harder and harder to move, until it couldn't move at all.

Lance knew it was over; his Pokémon was too weak, and he was about to forfeit his last Pokémon when he heard Silver bark out another command.

"Make it rain!" Similar to before, Tyranitar smashed its right paw into the ground, launching dozens of smaller rocks.

Lance was in disbelief. Realising what was about to happen, he quickly grabbed his Poké Ball. He faced it towards his Pokémon, ordering it to return. But the rocks prevented the beam from hitting his Pokémon.

In the act of desperation, he turned towards his opponent. "Silver! Stop!" he yelled. The whole stadium grew silent as he informed his opponent of his decision. "Dragonite can no longer battle. Stop the barrage, and I'll forfeit my Pokémon!"

Silver appeared to contemplate this for a moment as the rocks continued on their trajectory downwards. Ultimately, he relented, signalling his Pokémon to cease its attack. He knew he'd won; that was clear, and he didn't need to negative fanfare of injuring a defenceless Pokémon when its trainer had already forfeited it.

But his Pokémon was having none of it. Disobeying Silver's order, Tyranitar directed the stones directly towards Dragonite with increased furore.

"Tyranitar, what are you doing?" He couldn't return his Pokémon until Lance returned his own; otherwise, it would signal his own Pokémon's defeat. "We've won!"

But Tyranitar didn't see it as a victory. His nemesis had to ley defeated, not surrendered so it would be hurt; that wasn't winning in the armour Pokémon's eyes.

"Dragonite!" Lance screeched in despair, only able to watch on in horror as his Pokémon was about to be bombarded.

But as the rocks were about to hit Dragonite, they were suddenly surrounded by a purple hue. Immediately, they stopped; floating harmlessly in the air.

Everyone was confused until an Espeon appeared just outside the battlefield. It sat silently, staring at the floating rocks and stones, its eyes glowing. Suddenly, the same hue surrounded the large boulders that entombed Dragonite.

Slowly, Red approached the battlefield, coming to a stop next to his Pokémon. "Lance!" he declared. "Return your Pokémon and declare defeat!"

Lance nodded, launching the red beam from his Pokémon. Tyranitar sneered at the dragon Pokémon before it was swallowed by its Poké Ball. "Dragonite is unable to battle!" Lance declared.

The referee appeared on the side of the battlefield, near Red, completely confused by the whole situation. But as there was no rule as to what had just occurred, he continued with standard proceedings. "Lance has no Pokémon remaining! Silver is the winner!"

* * *

"Well, there you have it folks!" the commentator on the screen declared. "In these unprecedented scenes, Silver has won the match! Stay tuned as the ceremony commences and Silver is declared Tournament Master!"

The telecast quickly went to commercials as Ash, Misty, and Tracey all sat around, completely stunned.

"What just happened?" Misty questioned. She'd only just finished her conversation with Brock and had managed to return during the hectic final moments.

"I don't know." Tracey shrugged. "This has never happened before. I'm sure there's going to repercussions though. The Pokémon Master can't just interrupt the championship match like that!"

"What do you think will happen?" Ash asked, concerned.

"I have no idea," Tracey replied. "But don't worry; they won't take the title off your father, or anything like that. More likely, there will be financial sanctions, but that's something I'm sure your father can endure."

"That's good," Ash replied. He was about to continue when he was interrupted by Misty.

"Hey, Ash! Your egg is glowing!"

"What!" Ash quickly rushed towards the rear of the cabin where two eggs were being kept in incubators. "How do you know it's mine?"

"Because mine has the bluish tinge to it!" Misty retorted. "God! Are you that dumb that you can't tell which egg yours is?"

"I'm not dumb!" Ash snapped. "I was making sure it wasn't yours, that was hatching! We don't want a repeat of Togepi here, now do we?" He gestured towards the egg Pokémon in Misty's arms.

"You keep Togepi out of this!" Misty threateningly snapped, her eyes narrowing at the boy. Togepi, having no idea what was going on, trilled in excitement at the mere mention of its name.

"Hey, guys!" Tracey yelled, interrupting their argument. "The egg is changing form!"

The glowing egg slowly transformed into a long metallic body with a set of claws at one end. A small head formed at the other with a single red eye. As the light faded, it revealed the form of the iron ball Pokémon, Beldum. But this Beldum was different, with its metallic body not blue, but instead silver.

Tracey looked on rather pleased. Misty seemed interested in the Pokémon. But Ash looked on with concern; this wasn't the Pokémon he'd thought it would be at all.

* * *

A week had passed since the end of the Tournament of Masters, and boy, had it been a busy one. While Ash was still figuring out what to do with Beldum, he and Tracey had managed to capture a couple of new Pokémon between them. Ash had managed to stop an ever-hungry Snorlax from devouring the entire native food supply of a small island, while an old Scyther had joined Tracey's team after being abandoned by its flock.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Ash, Misty, and Tracey made it to the next island, where Misty was entering her upcoming Water Tournament.

Ash and Tracey took their seats in the stadium, eagerly waiting for the beginning of the tournament. Surprisingly, they found that the battlefield was somewhat different from the usual one they'd seen previously. Typically, there would be a massive pool of water in the centre of the battlefield, with land surrounding it, but this one had no pool.

"What's going on? Where's the pool?" Ash questioned.

Tracey, in response, pulled out the local guidebook for up and coming tournaments. "It said it was a water-type tournament when I read it last!" When he opened the book to the page he was searching for, he paused; his face palling. "Water Tournament Schedule," he read aloud. "Here it is, Mandarin Island South, but it has an asterisk next to it." His eyes scrolled down the page until he found the information he was looking for. "This tournament is an Elemental Tournament, and if won, supplements as a water-type symbol."

"Elemental Tournament? What's that?" Ash asked.

"This book lists all the different types of tournaments available in the Orange Archipelago," Tracey explained, holding the book up. "There are single's tournaments; like the one you entered, doubles, elemental typing, etcetera. But Elemental Tournaments are different. You can enter with any type you wish, but only that type."

"So, Misty's going to up against trainers with different types of Pokémon," Ash mused.

"Afraid so," Tracey confirmed. "And with no pool or water of any kind, it really restricts the number of Pokémon she can use."

"Gee, I hope she's prepared for it," Ash muttered. Sure, they were arguing, but he still cared about her.

* * *

While Ash and Tracey were finding their seats, Misty remained quiet inside the changing area for participants. While she looked composed outwardly, inside, she was churning with fear. She'd prepared for a water-type tournament, not what she'd discovered it to be.

She swore, the next time she saw Tracey, she was going to give him what he deserved. A part of her, though, told herself that she should have been the one organising for the event, and not let someone else do it for her.

Some trainers came up to her, while others tended to keep their distance. Misty didn't know which group to be more thankful for, but it certainly helped calm her nerves as she waited for the beginning of the tournament.

When it was finally time to enter the stadium, Misty couldn't believe who was waiting there to meet them. There, standing on the podium was Lorelei, the Ice-Type Elemental Master and member of Kanto's Elite Four.

Misty's inhibitions immediately disappeared as her inner fangirl exploded in a furore. To Misty, Lorelei was her idol, her hopes and dreams; everything she strived to be. Sure, Lorelei specialised in ice-types, but that didn't mean that there weren't a few Water-types in the mix.

"Welcome!" Lorelei interrupted Misty from her thoughts. "Today's tournament will see sixteen challengers go head to head with three-on-three matches. Each challenger has a different Pokémon type, and today we'll see who can prove that their type is the best!"

The crowd cheered, briefly, before Lorelei could continue. "Now! Let's see who they'll be facing in the first round!"

The entire stadium turned their heads towards one of the big screens where the tournament fixture appeared. One by one, the names appeared on the screen. Some in the field groaned while others cheered as they realised they would have an advantage or disadvantage.

Misty, unfortunately, found that she was one of the later as she read that her opponent specialised in grass-type Pokémon.

* * *

Misty stood on the battlefield with a Poké Ball in her hand. Her opponent, Simeon; a young teenage boy, stood quietly on the other side, waiting for the match to begin. The crowd had cheered as the two trainers entered the field, but Misty could tell that most were really rooting for Simeon, the local trainer.

"If both trainers are ready, release your first Pokémon and begin the match!" the referee instructed.

"Go, Victreebel!" Simeon yelled. The yellow bell-shaped Pokémon with three large green leaves appeared on the battlefield.

Misty, slightly fazed, was unable to get a sense of how tough the Pokémon was. Not to be fooled, she decided to summon one of her strongest Pokémon first. "Staryu! Let's do this!" As her Pokémon appeared on her side of the battlefield, she knew it was one of the few she could trust to get the job done.

"Begin!" the referee declared.

"Victreebel, Razor Leaf!"

"Counter it with Swift, Staryu! Intercept the leaves!" Misty had taken notes during the battle between Lance and Silver and had decided to try and use the same tactic. And while she had been training her Pokémon to do it, she wasn't quite sure how effective it would be in a live battle scenario. Well, she guessed, she had to figure it out at some stage.

As razor-sharp leaves flew across the battlefield, Staryu's red gem glowed; launching dozens of white stars. Both attacks seemed to collide; much to the awe of the trainers, but both were so distracted that they failed to notice some of the stars and leaves fly straight past each other.

This mistake, however minor, for far worse for Misty than for Simeon as the attacks collided with their Pokémon. Victreebel quickly recovered; having only been slightly damaged. Staryu, however, took the brunt of the super-effective attack; stunning the starfish Pokémon.

Simeon, taking advantage of the situation, ordered his Pokémon to wrap up Staryu with its vines.

"Staryu! Rapid Spin!" Misty desperately commanded. Her entire idea, at that moment, was based on the hope that her Pokémon would be able to snap out of its dazed state in time to stop Victreebel's vines from wrapping around it.

But, alas, it was futile. Victreebel's vines wrapped around Staryu, and in one rapid fashion, lifted the starfish Pokémon up, before slamming it back down into the ground. As the dust settled, Staryu was out cold.

"Staryu, return," Misty muttered. She grabbed her next Poké Ball. It was her ace up her sleeve in this battle; she'd only hoped that she could have taken out one of Simeon's Pokémon before using it. "Go, Pelipper!"

The large-billed Pokémon calmly flapped her wings; hovering just above the ground as she materialised. While Pelipper was a water-type, she was also a flying-type, removing the advantage Simeon had.

"Begin!" the Ref declared

"Victreebel, Razor Leaf; knock it out of the sky!"

"Pelipper, use Tailwind to pick up speed!" Misty countered. As the razor-sharp leaves were fired, Pelipper began rapidly flapping her white wings. A burst of wind rapidly picked up, all of it travelling from Misty's side of the field towards Simeon's.

The wind was so mighty that it stopped the leaves in its track. "Great Pelipper! Now, use that Tailwind to effect! Triple Wing Attack!"

With the tailwind behind her, Pelipper flew across the battlefield at near sonic speed. Her three blue digits on each of her wings began to glow white as she neared Victreebel. At such high speeds, Victreebel was unable to counter the onslaught; eventually succumbing.

"Victreebel! No!" Simeon grabbed his Poké Ball; returning his Pokémon as muttered angrily to himself. His gaze quickly turned back towards Misty. "Clever; bringing a flying-type to nullify your type disadvantage. But, you're not the only one with a flying-type! Tropius, let's go!"

Misty couldn't believe her eyes; there was the grass-type that could fly too! She wouldn't have believed it in a million years, but here it was; this leaf-winged beast hovering just above the ground.

"Begin!" the Ref declared.

"Tropius, Leaf Storm!" Simeon wasted no time in ordering his Pokémon to go on the offensive. Glowing leaves immediately appeared around Tropius' floating body. Quickly, the leaves shot forth towards Pelipper in a vortex shape.

Misty, reacting to the new predicament, knew exactly what to do. The tailwind she'd ordered her Pokémon to create was still in effect, giving any moves she made a significant speed boost. "Pelipper, destabilise that vortex with Twister!"

Pelipper began rapidly flapping her wings, creating her own powerful vortex of wind that she quickly launched at the incoming attack. With the tailwind, Pelipper's Twister was able to further across the battlefield than Tropius' Leaf Storm.

Both attacks collided far closer to Tropius than Simeon would have liked; completely nullifying both attacks. Simeon growled; annoyed that his plan hadn't worked and had been stopped in its tracks before it could even begin. "Tropius, we need to-" Simeon was cut off by a loud shriek coming from his own Pokémon.

Misty, realising the advantage held while Pelipper's Tailwind was still in effect, ordered her Pokémon to hit Tropius with a barrage of Wing Attacks similar to her order against Victreebel. Based on her observations so far, she could tell Simeon took very little notice of the current status of the environment. For a guy who specialised in grass-type Pokémon, Misty found this very surprising but also knew she could use it against him.

By the time the Tailwind had died down, Pelipper had managed to get several shots in; severely weakening the Fruit Pokémon. If Tropius had any speed in its flight, it had completely lost it now. Misty knew that one more powerful attack would work, so she ordered her Pokémon to strike. "Pelipper, finish it with Air Cutter!"

Pelipper began flapping her wings swiftly as they began to glow blue. Glowing blades of air shaped like an 'S' flew towards the doomed fruit Pokémon. As they collided with Tropius, the Pokémon lost the ability to keep itself afloat, plummeting back towards the ground, where it lay; motionless.

As quickly as Simeon had thought he'd had this match in the bag, his hopes of winning had faded. He returned his second Pokémon and turned to the last Pokémon he had for the match; his ace in the hole, Venusaur. As quickly as the four-winged Tropius disappeared, the hulking Venusaur had taken its place.

The referee wasted no time in re-starting the match; signalling that both Pokémon were ready.

"Venusaur, Grab Pelipper with Vine Whip!" Simeon ordered without a second thought. Venusaur's vines sped towards Pelipper, who had no time to evade the attack. Before long, the Water Bird Pokémon had been repeatedly smashed into the ground.

After watched the Pokémon get smashed from pillar to post, Simeon ordered his Pokémon to put Pelipper down.

Placing the feinted Pokémon on the ground, Venusaur reeled its vines back into its body.

Misty sighed, returning her Pokémon; the battle had ended before it even really began, and now she was down to her last Pokémon. "You're my last hope. Go, Tentacruel!"

* * *

"What's she doing?!" Tracey exclaimed. "That last time she used Tentacruel, without a pool, it ended disastrously!"

"I don't know." Ash shrugged. "But she must have figured out how to overcome it."

* * *

But Misty had found a way to overcome her Pokémon's disadvantage on land. Having spent every moment she had with Tentacruel on how to get the Pokémon to move more freely, she'd discovered that its tentacles could slide across wet ground.

The referee looked between both Pokémon before signalling the final battle of the match. Without a moment's hesitation, Misty ordered her Pokémon to spray the field with water.

Simeon became confused and somewhat interested as he watched his opponent's Pokémon soak the battlefield with a thin layer of water. He ordered his Pokémon to remain vigilant, but even he didn't know what was going to happen next.

Once Misty was satisfied that the battlefield was wet enough, she ordered her Pokémon to stop. Now she turned her attention towards Venusaur. The hulking this was large, and she guessed it could take a large amount of damage, but like her own Pokémon, wasn't very mobile; giving Misty an idea.

"Tentacruel, Bubble Beam!"

The bubbles fired lined up quickly with Venusaur, hitting the Pokémon at ferocious speed, but did little damage. Misty gad counted on this, and her plan wasn't to defeat the Pokémon with brute strength, but rather whittle it down over time.

"That's nothing to us!" Simeon taunted, but it fell on deaf ears. "Let's end this quickly, Venusaur! Grab it with your vines! Just like last time!"

Misty smiled; she had been expecting this. "Don't let those vines wrap around you! Grab them with your tentacles and don't let go!"

As Venusaur's vines neared the jellyfish-like Pokémon, Tentacruel quickly pounced with several of its tentacles. Wrapping onto them, neither Tentacruel nor Venusaur found that they could move their appendages. Locked in a stalemate, Misty saw her opening.

"Now, Confuse Ray!" Misty's plan worked. Tentacruel's red gem began to glow, and not long after, Venusaur became completely confused.

Simeon tried to get his Pokémon to focus, but it was no use. Misty saw an opening, and she was going to take it. She ordered her Pokémon to repeatedly strike Venusaur with minor attacks that quickly began to pile up; weakening the grass-type Pokémon.

By the time Venusaur was able to break its own confusion, it had already taken a ton of damage. But Simeon wasn't one to give up, ordering his Pokémon to use it's most potent attack; Solar Beam.

Misty had ample time to react and remained as stoic faced as ever as the attack charged; Simeon was playing into her game.

"Now!" Simeon had expected the match to be over in a heartbeat, but as the green energy beam was fired, Misty ordered her Pokémon to protect itself.

Tentacruel released Venusaur's vines, freeing both Pokémon. Its red gem glowed again, but this time a transparent sheen barrier appeared around the Pokémon; completely deflecting the attack.

"What!" Simeon exclaimed in disbelief. "That's not possible! How could you block my Pokémon's greatest attack?"

"You should learn more about Pokémon outside your own typing," Misty replied. "There are many ways to overcome a type disadvantage, like this one." Misty knew the battle wasn't over, but she had a feeling she'd already one. Her Pokémon hadn't taken any damage, while Venusaur looked like it was on its last legs.

"Tentacruel, one more attack should do it! And I think we've saved the best for last; Hydro Pump!" The rush of water moved too quickly, and while the attack wasn't super effective, it had just enough power to finish off the weakened Venusaur.

"Venusaur is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Misty wins! She advances into the next round!"

Misty sighed. She had a massive smile on her face, but she couldn't help but feel relieved and somewhat shocked. She'd wanted to thank her opponent for the battle, but when she looked across the battlefield, she realised that he'd already left.

Returning her Pokémon, she looked Poké Ball for a moment before placing it in her bag. "I really need to teach some of my Pokémon Ice Beam."

* * *

A long time ago…

Red sat at his desk, endlessly flipping from page to page of Blaine's journal. He couldn't believe the hidden history of the Great War that he was learning about. There had been an organisation; the 'Pokémon Strategic Research Division,' whose only goal was to find ways to exploit Pokémon for the war effort.

It was how the revolutionary device; the Poké Ball, had first been created. He saw it as a tool; a part of himself that allowed him to bond with his Pokémon. And yet, it was initially intended to be a weapon of war; an instrument to enable soldiers to carry numerous Pokémon into battle.

He couldn't believe how different the events written in the journal were to the history he'd been taught in school. Part of him knew that what he was reading was personal; a small, narrow view of a war that affected the world, but he couldn't help but feel that his eyes were being opened for the first time.

After reading several pages further into the journal, he closed it. He'd learnt so much in the few pages he'd read. He discovered several different experiments that had been going on during the war, but none were more prevalent than the one Blaine had worked on himself. Blaine continuously referenced the 'Ultimate Weapon;' the 'Ultimate Pokémon,' whatever that was. Red barely understood what he was reading, but it intrigued him none the less.

Exiting his room, he set down in the living room of his family home and turned on the television. To his luck, his sister was currently away, and his mother had errands to run. He couldn't believe that it had been over a year since he started his journey; a year since he left home, he currently found himself in. He was now eleven and still hadn't collected all the badges he required to enter the Pokémon League. Sure, most didn't collect them all until they were into their teens, but he still felt unsatisfied that he didn't have the complete set.

He picked up the remote and mindlessly scrolled through channel after channel. Some had sports, others contained re-runs of various battle competitions, but none caught his attention. He paused when a sudden news alert flared onto the television, quickly followed by a severe weather warning for the Cerulean City area.

"The temperature plummeted to below freezing in a matter of minutes," the reported explained, standing outside the Pokémon Centre in the city. "It's unknown what is the cause of this strange weather pattern, but some are questioning if it is the work of the 'Monster of Cerulean City.'"

An image appeared on the screen of a strange silhouette of a bipedal, feline-looking Pokémon with glowing eyes. Red couldn't help it, but he felt like he'd seen it before. Or, at least, recognised the Pokémon. "A series of devastating incidents have occurred in the city since the arrival of the strange creature." As the reporter continued, the large door to the Pokémon Centre opened, revealing Blaine as he exited the building.

At that moment, everything clicked. Rushing back up to his room, he grabbed Blaine's journal and quickly skimmed through the pages until he found what he was looking for.

 _Day one hundred and fifty-two,_ he read. _It's hard to believe how quickly we've managed to create a stable specimen. I was chosen to be the donor of the 'human' DNA. At the time, I felt nervous, indifferent, but as I looked at the Pokémon, I couldn't help but feel that it was somehow a part of me. It had a humanish, bipedal form, yet-amazingly-it still kept the feline features of its parent Pokémon; Mew. It seems to continually sleep inside its tank most of the time, but whenever I am near, its brain activity increases, as if it's sensing my presence; as if it knows part of it is from me. Recently, it had opened its eyes. For a brief moment, they glowed, before closing again. It's still young and in its infancy, but it is progressing along quite nicely._

* * *

Red shivered as he walked down the main street of Cerulean City. He clutched his red jacket tightly around him as he wandered past the empty shops. On a typical day, the streets of Cerulean city would be buzzing with tourists, but today it felt like nothing but a ghost town.

The city was mostly abandoned; even the locals had decided to leave in the lure of warmer weather. He couldn't blame them; the place was completely covered in a thick layer of snow. The Place looked nothing like it did when he was there six months earlier. What had brought on the strange weather? No one knew, but many suspected it had something to do with the "Monster of Cerulean City;" a Pokémon that had only recently appeared around town.

No one knew what to make of the Pokémon. Was it legendary? A Pokémon of myth? The only Pokémon it even remotely resembled was the mystical Mew. But even that was a vast stretch; most historians and experts knew that Mew was far smaller.

Some had theorised that the Pokémon may have been a distant cousin of the Pokémon that all life sprouted from. Maybe it was a form of early evolution that a Mew changed into as it became more bipedal; before evolution broke that Pokémon down into the many forms of bipedal Pokémon we see today?

But that raised a new question; where had the Pokémon been? And why was there no evidence of its existence? There were thousands of fossilised remains of early Pokémon, but none of them resembled the creature that appeared around Cerulean City.

Red had heard these theories, and many others, in the few days it took him to reach Cerulean City. But he knew the truth; he knew that the Pokémon had been created in a lab. Now he only had to find out where the Pokémon was hiding.

He knew nothing about Cerulean City, but he knew someone who did, and he hoped she would be able to help him. All he had to do was reach her house.

* * *

Surprisingly, the mansion's front gate had been left unlocked. He pushed it open; the ice cracking as the hinges rotated. Walking across the courtyard, the snow-covered ground crunched beneath his feet. The entire place was covered in a foot of snow, and he couldn't make out any of the statues he'd seen the last time he was here.

Eventually, after treading slowly through the courtyard so he wouldn't mistakenly walk across the small pond he'd seen previously, he found himself at the front door. Knocking, he expected Misty, her sister, or one of their _many_ servants to answer the door but was instead greeted by the stern face of Mark Williams; Misty's father.

"My. What brings you here at a time like this?" Mark asked, eyeing Red up and down. He wasn't expecting anyone to visit during the strange blizzard, especially after he'd sent all the staff home.

"Oh, umm… I'm here to see Misty, is she around?" Red nervously questioned. The man radiated strength and power, and Red couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed.

"I'm afraid you've just missed her," Mark explained. "She said she had an errand to run. She should be back shortly."

"You let her go out in this weather?" Red questioned.

"You're out in this weather!" Mark strongly retorted. He didn't like being told how to parent his child, especially by someone his daughter's age. "Besides, if you're truly a friend of my daughter, you'd know there was no way I could dissuade her once she'd made her mind up."

Red failed to miss the snide remark hidden in Mark's response. Of course, he was a friend of Misty's! He imagined he was one of the few friends she had, given who her father was.

"Where are my manners? Why don't you come in! You must be freezing." Mark opened the door, briefly showing compassion before it was hidden again behind his stern demeanour.

Red entered, wandering through the ample open space of the foyer. The door echoed eerily as it was slowly closed behind him. Remarkably, despite all the lavish décor and expensive furnishings, the place felt rather hollow; rather empty.

He passed the foyer, entering the mansion's large living room. There he paused, placing a hand on one of the expensive lounges.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Mark offered, appearing behind him.

But something told Red that it was more of a command than an offer. Reluctantly, he sat down; placing his hands in his lap. Nervously, he twiddled his thumbs as Mark took the seat across from him.

The room quickly fell into silence, the air thick with awkward tension. Red had no idea why, but the way Mark was eyeing him up and down concerned him. Minutes passed, and no one spoke. Only the sound of their breathing filled the room. The wind whistled outside as the blizzard continued its bloody rage.

Finally, Mark spoke, but it wasn't what Red was expecting to hear from the older man. "My daughter seems to be quite fond of you."

Red had no idea how to respond to that. Sure, he liked her too. They were good friends, so why was it an issue? "She is very nice. She's a good friend and a lovely person, you should be proud of her."

"You misunderstand." Mark raised his hand to halt Red. "I mean; Misty _really_ likes you. Most days you're all she talks about. When she visited me in Saffron City a few months ago, all she would talk about was running into you and that you traded Pokémon with each other. She had no interest in discussing anything else. Since that day, I decided I would like to get you to know the boy that has enchanted my daughter. So, Red, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Red didn't know where to begin. He'd promised his mother that he would never reveal his name, so he couldn't start there. His journey? That was a good start. He began there; discussing the first day of his trip. Why he'd chosen Bulbasaur over Charmander.

Truth be told, Mark knew all about Red already. He knew his real name was Derrick Ketchum, son of Charlotte and Richard Ketchum, whom he'd had quite a few run-ins with, in the past. This wasn't about that, though. Instead, he was interested in finding out if Red would be truthful with him.

At first, he was appalled to learn that his daughter's new friend was the son of one of his oldest enemy's. He'd initially planned to bar his daughter from ever seeing the boy again. But the day she came in with that huge smile on her face after running into the boy, Mark knew that he could make use of such a close relationship; even if neither of them knew they were being manipulated.

A long time ago, during the great war, there was a brief period where the Aura Legion and Aura Guard put their differences aside and worked together to bring about peace. And here he had two people, who could possibly be future leaders of their respective organisations, in such a close friendship; maybe something more, if his daughter's reaction was anything to judge by.

His plan wasn't any form of reunification; that ship had sailed a long time ago, but perhaps he could find a way to subtly manipulate his enemy's direction through his own daughter. He had a plan; his operative, Michele, was drafting it. If he wanted it to succeed though, he would have to begin laying the seeds early. So, he sat there, listening intently to his daughter's friend and all his wild stories about his adventure.

* * *

Red continued to tell Mark about his journey for nearly an hour. In all that time, Mark never interrupted once; only humming and nodding when appropriate. Time had flown by so quickly that neither of them noticed when the front door suddenly opened.

Misty Williams entered, shaking her woollen clothing free of snow. She walked into the living room without glancing in Red's direction; never realising he was there. "Dad, they blocked my proposal again! I'm sure it's only because of-"

"Misty," Mark interrupted. "Don't be so rude; we have a guest!" He gestured towards Red.

"Oh!" Misty quickly turned to apologise, but when her eyes landed on Red, she immediately beamed. "Oh, Red!" she squealed, leaping over to him and enveloping him in a hug. "It's been a while! How are you?"

"I'm… Good," Red replied, stunned. He quickly reciprocated the hug, but he certainly hadn't expected it.

On the opposite couch, Mark smiled; yes, he could definitely use this.

* * *

"So, you're looking for the Monster of Cerulean City?" Misty questioned, having been informed of Red recent adventures. They were both seated on the couch; Mark having long departed to another room of the mansion.

"Yeah." Red nodded. "I'm also looking the Blaine; the fire-type gym leader of Cinnabar Island."

"I know who he is," Misty explained. "He's been around; he visited my father recently. He says he's looking for something in the city. Until now, I had no idea what, but based on what you've told me, he must be looking for the Pokémon."

"But why would the Pokémon come here?" Red questioned aloud. He was only voicing his thoughts; never really expecting a response.

"Maybe they've come here before?" Misty shrugged. "Have you tried reading more of the journal? It may hold some clues."

"I have," Red confirmed. "But most of it is science lingo that I don't understand."

"Well, it just so happens that I have a few points of interest that may narrow down your search," Misty explained.

"What do you mean?" Red questioned.

"Well, I haven't been looking for that Pokémon specifically," Misty added. "But I have been looking into the weather phenomenon that's been plaguing this city for the past week. I've managed to narrow down the cause to a few places. It may not be much, but perhaps we'll find your 'Monster' at one of those locations."

"Then what're we waiting for?" Red rose to his feet in a rush, preparing to leave immediately.

"Woah, Woah," Misty calmed. "We'll die out there if we leave now. You think it's cold now? At night it'll get down to well below freezing. It's best if we wait until tomorrow."

"But I don't have anywhere to sleep," Red retorted.

"That's fine!" Misty smiled; excited at the prospect of spending more time with the young boy. "You can sleep in one of the guest rooms! I'm sure my father won't mind!"

* * *

Red groaned as he followed Misty to the outskirts of the city. They'd searched every location Misty suspected and were yet to find any clues about the strange weather pattern or locate the Monster of Cerulean City.

So annoyed was Red, that he was beginning to question if Misty even knew anything. He knew the girl harboured strong affection for him. He knew she would jump at the opportunity to spend time with him, but he didn't know what lengths she was willing to go to.

"The last place on my list was the Cerulean Cave," Misty declared, coming to a stop.

"Cave? What cave?" Red frantically looking around, failing to find any entrance to a cave.

"You're looking at it." Misty pointed towards the ice-covered hills. The entire city was blanketed in white, but unlike the show covered buildings, the mountain range seemed to be completely covered in solid ice. How she could tell there was an entrance, he had no idea, but he felt that this was the first decent clue they'd had all day.

"Why was this last on your list?" he questioned. "The rest of the city is covered in snow, and this place is frozen solid!"

"There were a lot of possible places, okay?" Misty argued. "The bridge seemed like the best bet! It was where the weather phenomenon began! The next best guess was where the Pokémon had been cited! This!" She pointed towards the cave entrance. "Is just a cave where people come for stupid romantic dates!"

"It's a cave just outside the city," Red noted, holding one finger in the air. "It's completely frozen in ice, compared to the rest of the city."

"The water near the bridge was frozen!" Misty argued.

Red continued counting, deciding to ignore Misty's interruption. "It's the perfect place to hide if you want no one to find you. And in this storm, there is no way anyone would venture out here. And even more so, the entrance is completely blocked."

"We're here!"

"But we're looking for the Pokémon."

"Well, fine!" Misty relented, throwing her arms up dramatically. "Looking at it now; I should have brought you here first! But that still doesn't solve the current issue! How are we going to get into the cave?"

"A fire-type would work brilliantly," Red explained.

"Hello!" Misty dramatically whined, gesturing to herself. "I'm a water-type Pokémon trainer! Do I look like I carry a fire-type with me?"

"Don't worry." Misty didn't like the smug smile on Red's face as he pulled out a Poke Ball. "I have just the Pokémon. Growlithe! We need your help!"

* * *

Misty sighed as she followed Red through the cave. While most would love to see the beautiful colours, especially in the reflection of the ice-covered walls, she never really liked the place.

Most considered it a place of romance; a place of beauty where one could spill one's heart in the colourful light. But it was something she didn't care much about. Instead, she saw this place with sorrow. To her, it was the place that forever barred her from knowing her ancestors.

Sure, she had her father's family, but she never really knew much about her mother's. They were born in the north, a place that was now gone. And while she knew that without the Great War, she would never have been born, she couldn't help but feel trapped.

It was a place that her mother would bring her to before her mother passed away, and she hadn't returned since. As they walked, the glimmers of light almost gave rise to ghost-like figures, and Misty couldn't help but feel like she was being haunted.

"You know, this cave used to be a tunnel," Misty mused quietly; solemnly. "It used to be the only route that connected northern Kanto to the rest of the region."

"Why was it sealed off?" Red asked.

"It wasn't intentional," Misty continued. "The entrance on the other side caved in when Hoenn bombed the north during the Great War. The shockwave collapsed a large section of the mountain range. It was decided to leave it blocked to prevent the radiation from seeping through the mountains. The north is nothing but an irradiated wasteland now; nothing can grow there for thousands of years."

"I guess we're lucky then," Red mused.

"How so?" Misty demandingly questioned. Her grandparents didn't feel so lucky; she'd heard all the devastating stories of what her family had endured during the war. She didn't feel so fortunate.

"What I meant was that the mountain range was large enough to prevent the radiation from climbing over and irradiating the south. We're lucky because we never saw the horrors our parents and grandparents did. That's all I meant," Red defended. He had no idea what'd gotten into Misty recently, but he certainly didn't like it.

She seemed to be always defensive; questioning and arguing over every little detail. At first, he'd thought she was just worried because of the storm, but as they spent more time together, he began to believe that there was something that was bothering her that she wasn't telling him about. He didn't think he was the reason, but something was clearly annoying her.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, the air began to grow stale. The temperature steadily dropped further below the already freezing temperatures. The place became misty; a thick fog enveloping them to the point where they could only see a few metres in front of them.

Red knew they couldn't venture much further without freezing to death. Clearly, whatever had been causing the blizzard was located within the cave. The only fire-type he had with him was Growlithe, which provided him with little comfort in the harsh temperatures.

Finally, he stopped. They could go no further without risking their health, and there was no point to them dying for a futile endeavour. For all they knew, the Monster of Cerulean City may not even be in the cave.

Misty, who'd failed to notice Red stop, walked straight into the young boy, her head bumping into his. "Ow!" she groaned, rubbing her temple. "Why'd you stop?"

"It's too cold," Red explained. "We'll freeze to death if we go any further."

"Then what should we do?"

"We should turn back," Red relented. He'd been so determined to find the Pokémon that he couldn't help but feel that he'd failed. "I don't think the creature his here."

Misty smugly felt like saying "I told you so," but she couldn't bring herself to argue in the freezing temperatures. While she hadn't admitted it, the cold had finally gotten to her, and she was just feeling relieved to turn back.

But a fierce gust of wind suddenly blew the mist away, revealing the blue feathers of Articuno. Silently, it flapped its icy wings, remaining hovered just above the ground. It eyed the two trainers, light reflecting off its darker shaded crest on its head.

Red and Misty had no idea what to do; they'd never expected such a Pokémon to be hiding in a cave. Although looking at it, it made sense to them that the legendary bird was the most likely reason for the massive blizzard engulfing Cerulean City.

"What's an Articuno doing here?" Red asked.

"I don't know!" Misty replied. "I know they live up in the mountains. I've never heard of one venturing down to the city!" Misty grabbed one of her Poke Balls defensively but realised that the Pokémon wasn't advancing towards them. "What do you think it wants?"

"I have no idea." Just as Red replied, Articuno cawed threateningly. Red knew it was a warning to turn around and leave, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. This whole situation, it felt eerily familiar to recent events.

"Something feels off," Red continued. "This is the second time in recent weeks that a legendary bird has been responsible for a natural disaster."

"You don't think that it's a coincidence that Articuno is here?" Misty asked.

"No," Red answered. "The two chain of events are too identical to be a coincidence. Firstly, Blaine show's up in Cerulean City. Then the blizzard arrives that blankets the city with snow and ice. Lastly, we find an Articuno suddenly hiding inside a cave that it's never been seen in before."

"You think Blaine is the cause of this?"

"Possibly? It makes sense, doesn't it?" Red questioned. "He's been present at both natural disasters caused by legendary birds-" he exhaled, the air freezing. "-I didn't see what caused the volcano to erupt on Cinnabar Island, but I found him later as he was making his way down the mountain."

Articuno suddenly cawed again, this time more threateningly. It suddenly opened its short grey beak, launching a shining blue beam of ice at the pair.

Neither had time to react, but the beam would never reach them as a Charizard suddenly appeared above them. The flame Pokémon unleashed a torrent of powerful flames that stopped the beam of ice in its tracks.

"You know, I thought you'd trust me after Cinnabar Island. It's great to see such a high opinion of me," Blaine snarled, appearing behind the two trainers. Red noticed the sarcasm in his voice, realising that the older gentlemen had heard the whole thing. "Especially after you stole my private journal."

"Sorry," Red guiltily muttered under his breath.

"Unfortunately, I don't have the time to scold you," Blaine berated. His glasses glinted in the light as he swivelled his head towards Articuno. "We currently have a bigger issue to deal with."

Charizard landed in front of the three trainers, shielding them from any attacks. It roared goadingly at the legendary bird, unleashing a torrent of flames into the air. Red had never seen such a confident Pokémon in his life, but he felt that it was probably well warranted.

"Mewtwo!" Blaine yelled. Red was surprised; Blaine wasn't addressing Articuno and instead appeared to be calling out to the surrounding area. "I know you're here! An Articuno wouldn't live in a cave unless it were being controlled! Come out! We can sense each other. You know that!"

Without hesitation, Mewtwo instantly appeared; standing only a few metres from Blaine. Red recognised the Pokémon from its description in Blaine's journal, while Misty noted the similar features to the sketchy photos of the Monster of Cerulean City.

"Now that's more like it." Blaine smiled "You'll be returning with me to Cinnabar Island, Mewtwo. You've caused enough trouble already."

Strangely, Mewtwo remained silent. It didn't talk; it didn't make a sound. Instead, it silently raised one of its three-pronged hands towards Blaine; preparing to defend itself.

Blaine read the silent message; adjusting his glasses as he pulled out a Poké Ball. "So be it." He released another of his Pokémon as he ushered Charizard to him. "I need you two to keep the Articuno busy," he addressed Red and Misty. "If Mewtwo can distract me with it, I'll have no chance of stopping Mewtwo from slowly destroying the city."

"Why is it doing this?" Misty questioned.

"It's doing exactly what it was created for," Blaine explained. "It was created to be the ultimate weapon; to destroy everything in its path."

"Then we'll do everything we can to give you the best chance of stopping it." Red nodded, clutching a Poké Ball as he turned towards Articuno. "No matter the cost."

* * *

The battle wasn't going so well for Red and Misty. The legendary bird had lived up to its name as it quickly wiped the floor against their Pokémon. Red had initially used Growlithe, but even the fire-type was no match for the bird's powerful ice-type attacks.

Having lost Growlithe in the first salvo, Red was left with few options; he had no Pokémon that were strong against ice-types, and only one that had an advantage against flying-types.

Misty, on the other hand, had no Pokémon that held a type of advantage against Articuno. She was relying on guerrilla tactics; making sure her Pokémon could do maximum damage without being hit. Repeatedly, she would release her Staryu with an order to attack Articuno head-on while the legendary bird was distracted by one of her other Pokémon. Once the attack hit, she would quickly return the starfish Pokémon to its Poké Ball before Articuno could hurt it.

The tactic had worked well at first, but Articuno quickly adapted; launching wide, areal damaging attacks, instead of direct ones. Before long, Misty had lost her Staryu and her Seel, whom she'd been using as the distraction.

"I only have two Pokémon left-" she returned Staryu and Seel. "-and I don't think Krabby is going to be much help."

"What about your other Pokémon?" Red watched as Misty's face contorted in contemplation. He had no idea why but asking about her other Pokémon had clearly struck a nerve.

"It's not my Pokémon, per se…" Misty paused, mulling over the situation. "Ok, look; it's my mother's, and it will listen to me, but it doesn't work well with other Pokémon."

"Then why'd you bring it?"

"Insurance, I guess." Misty shrugged. But Red had a feeling that there was another reason she currently had the Pokémon. "It's the strongest Pokémon I know; it was my mother's first Pokémon."

Red quickly glanced towards Articuno. "I don't think we have a choice; use it."

Misty sighed. She clutched the Poke Ball in her hand and pressed the button. "Come on out, Samurott! I have a worthy opponent for you!"

The Poké Ball flew through the air. For a brief moment, Misty thought her Pokémon wouldn't appear when the ball suddenly burst open with a loud pop. The light from the Pokémon's release was almost blinding as it reflected off the ice. A strange four-legged figure appeared from the light on the frozen cave floor.

Its cream-coloured spear-like protrusion from the shell on its head was barely visible in the bright white cave. If it wasn't for its dark blue skin, Red might never have identified it at all.

Samurott looked around; perplexed by its surroundings, before narrowing in on a worthy opponent. Samurott's red eyes glowed only for a second before a powerful beam of energy shot from the Pokémon's mouth towards Articuno.

Red didn't need any clues to ascertain the attack Samurott had just used, identifying one of the most potent Hyper Beams he'd ever seen. Articuno flapped its wings rapidly to avoid the attack.

Realising that he could help, Red summoned his Pikachu. Following Red's command, Pikachu raced into battle and was about to leap passed Samurott when it suddenly found Samurott's leg in the way. With no chance of slowing down on the frictionless surface, Pikachu collided with the Formidable Pokémon.

Samurott looked down at its leg, snarling at the yellow Pokémon. Using its horn, Samurott knocked Pikachu away like a hockey puck.

"Hey!" Red yelled.

"I told you," Misty reminded. "Samurott doesn't play well with others. It won't accept help; it only sees it as a weakness."

"Then what do you expect me to do? Just stand here?"

"No," Misty commanded. "Go help Blaine; he probably needs it more than I do!"

* * *

Blaine had no idea how the two kids were holding up against the legendary bird, but he imagined it must have been going well when Red showed up by his side. What he'd failed to see, however, was the massive argument that preceded Red's arrival.

Red had been reluctant to leave Misty to fend for herself against Articuno, but the constant growling from Samurott whenever he tried to help told him there was nothing he could do; the Pokémon just wouldn't let him.

"How's it going?" Red questioned as he surveyed the area.

Blaine didn't respond; he had to remain focused on the battle at hand. Mewtwo was sharing blows with Blaine's strongest Pokémon; his Charizard. If Blaine had answered, he would have explained that he wasn't doing well. He was already down two Pokémon, and Mewtwo looked like it had barely broken a sweat.

Blaine wasn't stupid; he knew he wouldn't be able to defeat the Pokémon directly, so he had come up with a plan. With him was one of the greatest inventions ever created; the Master Ball. Gifted to him for his work at the Pokémon Laboratory, it was the perfect way to capture a Pokémon of Mewtwo's power. The only problem was that he needed to slow down Mewtwo enough to use it.

Or perhaps he didn't? Maybe he didn't need to slow down Mewtwo at all but instead find something with enough speed to hit the Pokémon with the Master Ball before it could move. A plan suddenly popped into Blaine's mind; a direct assault wasn't working, but just maybe a distraction would.

He turned towards Red for the first time since he'd arrived, hoping he would have what he needed. "Do you have a Pokémon that is fast, agile, and capable of withstanding extreme heat?"

"Well, I have a Pokémon that meets the first two requirements," Red mused; mulling over the Pokémon he had that weren't unconscious. "Will that help?"

"It'll have to do." Blaine sighed. "Mewtwo is too fast to get anywhere near, and there is no chance of any of my Pokémon weakening it enough. My plan is to use this special type of Poké Ball to capture the Pokémon."

"Then how are we going to capture it if we can't get close?"

"We can't," Blaine explained. "But a quick-enough Pokémon can."

"What?"

"Captured Pokémon are not affected by 'live' Poke Balls," Blaine continued. "A Poke Ball doesn't need to be thrown to capture a Pokémon. So long as the button is pressed, and the 'live' Poke Ball comes into contact with a non-captured Pokémon, it will capture it.

"What we need to do is give the Master Ball to one of your Pokémon, and have it charge towards Mewtwo and smash the Master Ball into it." Blaine's idea sounded more ludicrous the more he explained it, but it was the best idea he had. "It should then capture Mewtwo."

"Wouldn't Mewtwo see that coming from a mile away though?"

"Not if we distract it," Blaine replied. "I'll use my fire-types to keep Mewtwo from noticing." Blaine turned back towards the battlefield just in time to watch Charizard narrowly avoid an intense beam of energy. "Here!" He placed the Master Ball in Red's palm without looking. "I need to make sure Charizard's ready for what is about to come."

"Oh. O-Okay," Red stuttered while accepting the Poke Ball. He still didn't fully understand what he needed to do but decided to go ahead with the plan anyway.

Red wandered away from Blaine, deciding which Pokémon to use when he realised, he had the best Pokémon for the job; his Pikachu.

Summoning the Pokémon, who was still irritated by Samurott's rejection for help, Red explained what he needed down. Pikachu nodded its head, indicating it was following along with what Red was saying.

"Do you think you can do that, buddy?" It was a simple question, and he'd never known any of his Pokémon to tun down one of his requests, so imagine when his Pokémon declined. "What? Why?" Red crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance; surly what he was requesting wasn't too much? Was it?

"Chu," Pikachu explained, pointing to its paws.

"You're asking how you would carry it?"

Pikachu nodded.

"Obviously you can't use your paws as you need them to move," Red mused. "But, you could hold the Poké Ball in your mouth…" Red paused at the incredulous look his Pokémon was giving him. "I understand your reservations, but we don't have any other choice. We're trapped here so long as that thing over there, and the legendary bird further down the cave, are in our way. I don't have any other available Pokémon that can help. You're my only hope."

Pikachu mused over everything Red had said before finally agreeing.

"Really?"

"Pikachu." Pikachu nodded.

"Thank you!" Red picked up Pikachu in a mad rush and hugged the Pokémon tightly. Suddenly realising an increase in static electricity and Pikachu's annoyance, Red put the Pokémon down;. While he was happy, he didn't want to get electrocuted; it hadn't ended well that last time. "Okay, here is the Master Ball." He got Pikachu to open its mouth before placing the shrunken device in it. "Now, I've placed it so that all you'll have to do is bite down on it to activate its capture sequence. Once you do that, all you have to do is hit Mewtwo with it."

Pikachu understood the last part; he was very familiar with how humans captured Pokémon. Hell, Red had caught him the exact same way; albeit, without needing another Pokémon to do the capturing for him.

"Are you ready kid?" Blaine called out.

"Yeah!" Red replied. "I think so."

"Good, cause I'm about to initiate the distraction!" Blaine turned towards his Charizard and muttered a straightforward command. "You know what to do."

Red readied Pikachu; focusing on what Charizard was about to do. He had no idea what Blaine and his Pokémon had planned, but he rightly guessed that it involved fire. Charizard suddenly unleashed a torrent of orange flames that quickly spiralled around Mewtwo in an ever-rising vortex that nearly reached the roof of the cave.

Red knew his Pokémon well, and he certainly knew his Pokémon would never be able to survive a mad dash through flames of such high intensity. But an idea quickly came to mind when he noticed a clear opening in the vortex.

Red leaned down towards his Pokémon before pointing towards the cave wall. "The flames have melted the ice. Use your speed to climb the walls and launch down with the Master Ball from above. You won't reach Mewtwo if you rush through the flames, but there's a hole in the vortex at the top. If you enter there, you should be fine."

Pikachu nodded; unable to talk with the Master Ball in its mouth. Quickly, the little yellow Pokémon raced off on all fours, following Red's idea to the letter. It quickly raced up the side of one of the caves. Once where there had been ice, was now replaced with the places natural rocky surface that was easy to cling onto.

Once the Pokémon neared the top of the vortex, it noticed it couldn't see the Pokémon inside. Trusting that its master knew best, Pikachu let go of the cave and fell into the vortex.

Neither Red, Blaine, or Charizard saw what happened next. Red had no idea if the plan had worked, but Blaine seemed far more confident. The fire-type master ordered his Pokémon to stop. When the flames ceased, they found that only the Master Ball and an unconscious Pikachu remained.

Wearily, they approached; Red the first one to speak up. "Did it work? Did we capture it?"

"We did," Blaine confirmed, picking up the, now full, Master Ball. "Thank you." Blaine sighed, turning towards Red. "This beast should never be allowed out into the real world; it's far too dangerous. Far too destructive."

"It's not me you should thank." Red pointed towards his unconscious Pokémon. "Pikachu's the one who did all the work."

"Still, if it weren't for you and your friend…" Blaine paused, realising they still had another Pokémon to deal with.

"Misty!"

* * *

After returning their Pokémon, Red and Blaine rushed to help the water-type Pokémon trainer, but they hadn't expected what they would find.

"Ha!" Misty laughed.

Red and Blaine paused, completely shocked to find a very smug trainer stroking their Pokémon's back as they stood over the unconscious legendary bird.

Misty pulled out a Poké Ball and dropped it onto Articuno. The Pokémon disappeared in a flash. The Poké Ball shook violently for several seconds before calming down; indicating the Pokémon's capture.

Misty picked up the Poké Ball and smiled. "I wish Lorelei could see this. I wish she could have watched a water-type bring down one of the most powerful ice-type Pokémon in the world. I wish… I wish she'd seen everything. That bitch."

* * *

 **How will Misty go in her tournament? Find Out Next Time!**

 **So present day Misty has an infatuation with Lorelei, while past Misty absolutely hated her guts. I wonder how that will play out in the future?**

 **I also bought a gramma software that helps by giving suggestions to improve my writing and correct mistakes. Please let me know if this chapter went more smoothly than previous ones?**

 **There weren't any reviews that I couldn't reply to privately after the last chapter, so there aren't any to add here.**

 **Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!**

 **Ash's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Pikachu (Electric) (Male)**  
 **Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)**  
 **Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Wartortle (Water) (Male)**  
 **Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)**  
 **Riolu (Fighting) (Male)**  
 **Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)**  
 **Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)**  
 **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Arcanine (Fire) (Male)**  
 **Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Raticate (Normal) (Female)**  
 **Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)**  
 **Kingler (Water) (Female)**  
 **Absol (Dark) (Male)**  
 **Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Primeape (Fighting) (Female)**  
 **Muk (Poison) (Male)**  
 **Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)**  
 **Sandslash (Ground) (Male)**  
 **Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)**

 **Departed:**

 **Mew**

 **Misty's Pokémon:**

 **On Hand:**

 **Starmie (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Seel (Water) (Male)**  
 **Feebas (Water) (Female)**  
 **Vaporeon (Water) (Female)**  
 **Psyduck (Water) (Male)**  
 **Togepi (Fairy) (Male)**  
 **Egg**

 **At Oak's Ranch:**

 **Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)**  
 **Seaking (Water) (Female)**  
 **Staryu (Water/Psychic)**  
 **Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)**  
 **Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)**  
 **Seadra (Water) (Female)**

 **Please Follow, Favourite and Review!**

 **Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!**


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